Women

The ASHA and ASHA Facilitators in Bihar are on an indefinite strike since 12 July for their long pending and unfulfilled demands. The main demands include recognition of their work as workers or employees and increase in wages which should not be termed as ‘reward’, to Rs. 10000 per month. They are also demanding disbursal of pending amount of Rs. 1000 per month from April 2019 to November 2020.

Bihar Rajya Vidyalaya Rasoiya Sangh and AICCTU held a protest rally to reiterate their demand of regularisation as government employees in front of Bihar Assembly on 3 April. Their other demands also include monthly wage of Rs. 21000 and salary for 12 months in the year.

Thousands of ASHAs and ASHA Facilitators held a militant protest in Patna on 21 March to reiterate their demand of 21000 Rs. honorarium and other demands. ASHAs have given an ultimatum to the government for a state wide strike in the month of April if their demands are not met. The Nitish government has scheduled a meeting with them on 23 March for discussion on their charter. 

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.

On the occasion of the 8th AIPWA state conference, AIPWA organized a march in Darbhanga on 10 September, culminating in a meeting at Laheriyaserai Tower. The demands raised through the march were: curbing inflation; roll back GST on petrol, diesel, cooking gas and food items; high level enquiry into the Rajwada episode; release Pappu Khan and other innocent people and withdraw cases against them. The march was led by AIPWA leaders including Shashi Yadav and Saroj Chaube.

16 August 2022

On the 75th anniversary of India’s independence, 11 men sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering 7 Muslims and gang-raping a pregnant Bilkis Bano, walked free because the Gujarat Government chose to remit their sentences.

They had committed their crime during the Gujarat 2002 anti-Muslim pogrom (which happened when PM Modi was Gujarat CM).

Supreme Court Must Stay Karnataka HC Verdict Which Will Result In Exclusion Of Hijab wearing Muslim Girls From Accessing Education  

15th March 2022

The Karnataka High Court in its order today has held that wearing of hijab is not essential to the practice of Islam; that College Development Committees (CDCs) have a right to prescribe a uniform; and that Muslim girls must comply with whatever uniform is prescribed by their college.

International Women’s Day 2022 was observed in all the states with a resolve to strengthen the struggles of women for equality, freedom and livelihoods; to fight against hatred, oppression, fanaticism, bigotry and patriarchy; to strengthen the love and sisterhood; and stand for peace, against war on Ukraine and US-NATO expansionist Conspiracy.

The All India Progressive Women’s Association organised a campaign in Bihar highlighting the following issues.

The Jharkhand Rajya Vidyalaya Sangh Sahebganj District Committee held a meeting on 9 November at Chhoti Kodarjanna presided over by the union President Nirmala Devi. Chief guest Comrade Geeta Mandal, in-charge Manoj Kumar Kushwaha and Mandro Block Vice President Malti Devi were present at the meeting.