The All India Progressive Women’s Association (AIPWA) held its third Odisha State Conference on 23 October 2016 at the Nagabhushan Patnayak Bhawan, Bhubaneshwar. Over 200 delegates participated in the conference.
Inaugurating the conference, AIPWA National Vice President, Saroj Choube said that this State conference was a prelude to AIPWA’s National conference next month (13-14 Nov) whose chief slogan is “Maang Rahi Hai Aadhi Aabadi-Suraksha Samman aur Azadi” (Half the population is demanding -secuirty, dignity and freedom) and “Sangh Brigade Hoshiyar-Mahilayen Hain Taiyyar” [Sangh Brigade be cautious- Women are Ready (to take you on)].
She further said that in 2014, Narendra Modi’s pre-election slogan was “Bahut Hua Nari par Vaar/Abki Baar Bhajapa Sarkar” (Enough of violence on women- this time BJP government). It is now two and a half years since the Modi government came to power but the violence against women has not abated; rather, a veritable ‘Vaar” (War) has been launched against farmers, workers, students, women and youth. Today premier campuses of the country have been turned into battle grounds—whether it is the institutional murder of Rohith Vemula or witch-hunt of students at JNU and BHU. Everywhere students who raise their voices in dissent are being attacked. There is no safety for women and girls across the country. A failure on all fronts, the Modi government now wants to throw the country into the flames of war-mongering. The people’s water, forests, and land are being handed over forcibly to corporate companies even if it means using bullet-force. People are being killed in fake encounters. To resist present situation, we must strengthen the organization and sharpen people’s struggles.
CPI(ML) State Secretary Yudhishthir Mahapatra, Namita Biswal, peasant leader Ashok Pradhan and AICCTU leader Radhakant Sethi also addressed the open session of the conference. Com. Savita Baraj presented the work-report. Comrades Sita Das, Roshan Ara Bibi, Jayanti Biswal, Urmila Nimle, Atyoshi Malik, Sukanti Kustiya, Jyotsna Mishra, and Arati Jena presented their views on the report. At the conclusion, a 25-member State committee was constituted with Savita Baraj as President and Mandakini Sethi as Secretary. The conference also elected the delegates who would participate in the forthcoming national conference.
