Uttarakhand AIDWA 8th State Conference
Damayanti Negi
THE 8th State Conference of the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), Uttarakhand, was held in the auditorium of Jain Dharamshala in Comrade Chandrakala Pandey Nagar, Dehradun, chaired by a three-member presidium, Sunita Pandey, Indu Naudiyal, and Mala Gurung. The keynote speaker AIDWA National President P K Shrimati said that whether we are from the hills or the plains or from the south, we are all one. She said that Janwadi Mahila Samiti (AIDWA) was formed in 1981 and since then we have been continuously fighting. Despite being separated from Uttar Pradesh, the state of Uttarakhand has not been able to develop, which is a matter of concern. Due to the recent losses caused by the disasters in the state, the common man is very miserable because the government is not providing adequate help to the people as it was supposed to. She said that even today, women are at the lowest rung of development. The situation of women in Kerala is the best in the country because the government there is constantly working for the welfare of women, whereas the situation of women in other parts of the country remains pathetic. She pointed out that after the formation of the Modi government in 2014, violence against women has been continuously increasing in the country. Referring to the Ankita Bhandari murder case in Uttarakhand, she said that such incidents are occurring daily in the country, which we strongly condemn.
National Vice President and State Incharge Jagmati Sangwan said that despite being separated from Uttar Pradesh, the state of Uttarakhand is lagging behind in development. The recent disaster has caused great damage to the families who lost their loved ones. Our condolences are with those women who are at the lowest rung of development. Our country's Constitution is very important, which the Modi government wants to abolish. She said that women outnumber men only in Kerala. Even after independence, the situation of women remains poor. Even after 76 years, Indian women still do not have equal rights, despite claims of equality here. The BJP government is talking about providing 33 per cent reservation, which is a game that has not been implemented to date. In Kerala, 57 per cent of panchayats have women representatives. Women attend our conferences in large numbers. This is possible because there is a Left government there and more women have been elected than the reservation limit. She said that women work 18 hours a day. Housewives wake up early and sleep late at night. The Left government in Kerala has made a provision of Rs 1000 pension for housewives. She emphasised that violence also occurs outside the home. Currently, the BJP government raises the slogan of "Matri Shakti," whereas the so-called double-engine government has closed 4000 schools in Uttarakhand, which is directly affecting daughters. Calling it a double-engine government is anti-democratic, the government wants us women to remain silent! Hindu organisations like Bajrang Dal are attacking women. Are we ready to break the silence? We are united in the Mahila Samiti. Our organisation has a membership of lakhs in the state of Kerala. We have organisations in all the districts of the state. We should take this conference as an opportunity and reach out to every locality. The organisation must be strengthened by making the suffering of women our own.
At the conference, Provincial General Secretary Damayanti Negi presented the political, organisational, and work report of the past three years. Twenty delegates from various districts participated in the discussion and offered valuable suggestions. Following the General Secretary's response, the report was unanimously passed.
Over 100 delegates from Dehradun, Chamoli, Almora, Rudraprayag, Pauri, and Tehri participated in the conference. Resolutions on increasing violence against women, Basti Bachao, the withdrawal of the elevated road project, the state's liquor policy and rising drug addiction, disaster relief, identifying left-out state activists, and MFI were unanimously passed. In the organisational session, National Vice President Jagmati Sangwan emphasised the need to intensify public struggles to strengthen the organisation. A new 17-member committee was formed at the conference, with State President Sunita Pandey, State General Secretary Damayanti Negi, Vice President Indu Naudiyal, State Treasurer Mala Gurung, and Joint Secretary Geeta Bisht unanimously elected as office bearers. Four representatives, including an observer, were elected for the All India Conference to be held in Hyderabad in January.
The conference concluded with the resolve to strengthen the organisation against imperialism, against Manuwadi attacks and hatred against women, and in favour of the Constitution, democracy, and humanity.
