AIPWA Conference in Bhilai
AIPWA organized a conference at Bhairav Basti, Sharadapara, Bhilai on 26 January 2020. The conference began with 2 minutes’ silence to honor the women who were martyred in the struggle for women’s rights. This was followed by a collective reading of the Preamble of the Constitution.
Addressing the conference, AIPWA Chhattisgarh convener Lakshmi Krishnan said that we have to fight together united against the anti-woman policies of the Modi government. She explained the role of AIPWA in the women’s movement and fight for women’s rights. She said that by inviting Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro as the Republic Day special guest the Modi government has grossly insulted the women of India, as Bolsonaro is notorious across the world as a propagator of rape culture and a fascist dictator. She demanded from the Central government and the Chhatisgarh State government that they take concrete steps to guarantee the freedom, safety and dignity of women, especially the adivasi women of Chhattisgarh. She further said that anti-CAA-NRC-NPR protests were being held every evening at Supela in Bhilai on the lines of Shaheen Bagh and appealed to the people of Bhilai to attend and support these protests.
The conference was also addressed by Rani Soni, Savitri Mahilang, Meena Kosle, Geeta Dusiya, Indra Joshi, Aliqunnisa, AICCTU leader Ashok Miri and CPIML leader Brijendra Tiwari. The women at the conference shared their experiences of harassment and discrimination at their workplace, domestic violence and other ways in which women are oppressed.
The conference passed a resolution to repeal the anti-Constitution CAA and demanded that the State government pass a resolution to stop NPR (the first step to NRC) on the lines of the State of Kerala. It called on the people to make the AIPWA National Conference to be held at Udaipur, Rajasthan on 8-9 February a resounding success. A 13-member Bhilai Committee was formed. The committee elected Rani Soni (President), Pacho Bai Banjare (Secretary), Meena Kosre (Vice President) and Savitri Mahilang (Joint Secretary).
