AIPWA Bihar State Conference
The 8th AIPWA state conference was held in Darbhanga under the supervision of Uttar Pradesh Secretary and Bihar observer Kusum Verma. The conference elected a 31-member executive and 9-member team of office bearers. Shashi Yadav and Saroj Chaube were elected Secretary and President respectively. The office bearer team comprised Manju Prakash, Damyanti Sinha, Savitri Devi, Indu Singh, Rani Prasad, and Sohila Gupta, Anita Sinha, Rita Barnawal and Juhi Mahbooba as Joint Secretaries.
Newly elected State Secretary Shashi Yadav said that the present political scenario has created an atmosphere of suffocation for women, dalits and marginalized sections. At such a time when the regime is trying its hardest to demolish all pillars of democracy, women must speak out and stand up against repression. President Saroj Chaube said that people's mass movements are the only road to freedom from oppression.
The following political resolutions were passed in the conference:
- Freeing Bilkis Bano's rapists and murderers on the 75th anniversary of Independence and honouring them with garlands and sweets is tantamount to normalizing rape and murder. Roll back the remission of Bilkis Bano's rapists.
- We strongly condemn the beating to death of 9 year old Indra Meghwal in Jalaur, Rajasthan for drinking water from a pot meant for 'savarnas' and demand strict punishment for the criminals. We demand the establishment of an common school system.
- We stand with the women of Uttarakhand in their struggle for 'jal jangal jameen' against corporate land grab and demand punishment for the police personnel who persecuted the women of Helang in Uttarakhand.
- Conventions will be organized in 20 Districts for education of girls and against the dowry system.
- We strongly oppose the arrest of and cases slapped against 19 innocent people in the Rajwada (Darbhanga) incident including 9 women and well-known leader Pappu Khan.
- We stand in solidarity with the demands of all scheme workers including ASHAs, Anganwadi workers and Rasoiyas.
- We demand the immediate and unconditional release of all incarcerated human rights workers and political prisoners.
The convention concluded with AIPWA General Secretary Meena Tiwari honouring all AIPWA volunteers whose untiring efforts made the conference a success.
