The Hindu : National : AIDWA to observe August 24 as `Demands Day'

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Wednesday, Aug 18, 2004

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National

AIDWA to observe August 24 as `Demands Day'

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, AUG. 17. The All-India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) will observe August 24 as "Demands Day," to highlight the many problems women face and the exploitation they are subjected to, general secretary, Brinda Karat, has said.

Speaking to presspersons on the sidelines of the fifth State-level Women's Conference that began here on Monday, Ms. Karat said atrocities and discrimination against women were on the rise and women were losing out on empowerment in all fields.

Coming down heavily on the Sangh Parivar and the Bharatiya Janata Party, she said women all over the country must fight the move by the BJP to revive the "trishul diksha" ritual in the States where it was in power. "All secular people must fight this disturbing trend, which can only breed violence and disturb the fragile peace that prevails in some parts of the country," Ms. Karat said.

Earlier, the Congress Governments in the States now ruled by the BJP had banned the "trishul diksha," and it was alarming to see these provocative acts being revived in States such as Rajasthan, Gujarat and even Madhya Pradesh, Ms. Karat said. That had to be nipped in the bud, considering what happened in Gujarat, she said.

Women's quota bill

The Women's Reservation Bill should become a reality, she said and demanded that the BJP and its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners come out with an assurance that that they would not oppose the Bill and would facilitate its passage in the next session of Parliament.

When the NDA Government was in power, the Congress and the Left parties had given the same assurance, she said. She wanted more jobs to be reserved for women and the laws needed to be changed to make that a reality. The AIDWA and like-minded allies would garner mass support to pressure the Government in this direction, she warned.

Ms. Karat reiterated the point she made at the public meeting on Monday that ration cards being issued to poor families without supplying the grain required was a national phenomenon that must be decried. It was women who were the first victims of such administrative lapses, and they suffered untold miseries in the process of trying to put food in the mouths of the members of their families.

First victims of change

The AIDWA joint secretary, Sudha, of Chennai, said the "Demands Day" would also draw attention to the obscene and demeaning portrayal of women in films and in advertisements, and their commodification.

The AIDWA joint secretary from Kerala, K. Srimathi, said whether it was liberalisation or globalisation, women were the first victims and they were also the hardest hit by the changes. She said the professional courses tangle could be solved to the satisfaction of all, if the Government demonstrated the will to do so.

The secretary of the AIDWA, Karnataka, K.S. Vimala, was present.

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