Change not just the government, but the system!
Several organizations of women jointly organized a public meeting on Parliament Street on March 5, 2012 on the occasion of International Women’s Day
Working women from various areas of Delhi, students and women from all walks of life participated enthusiastically in the meeting
Change not just the government, but the system!
Several organizations of women jointly organized a public meeting on Parliament Street on March 5, 2012 on the occasion of International Women’s Day
Working women from various areas of Delhi, students and women from all walks of life participated enthusiastically in the meeting
The Communist Ghadar Party of India, Purogami Mahila Sangathan and Lok Raj Sangathan participated in this meeting
Women held up placards bearing slogans that reflected their demands – “Long live International Women’s Day!”, “Down with this corrupt and parasitical capitalist state!”, “Put an end to inflation!”, “Sanitation is our birth right!”, “Right to food is a human right, and cannot be denied to anyone under any circumstances!”, “Eliminate Futures markets and speculation in Food Trade!”, “Let us put an end to slavery and injustice by taking power in our hands!” “Provide basic utilities like water, roads, sewer, school, etc unconditionally in every residential locality!”, “Stop privatization of water, education and transport services!” “Unite against the loot and plunder in this capitalist system!” etc.
The meeting was jointly presided over by representatives from the different women’s organisations.
It began with a song on the escalating prices.
Renu, activist of Purogami Mahila Sangathan spoke on the issue of Right to Food. She pointed out that prices had touched the sky in the recent years. The government has played a dirty game on the women of our country in the name of Public Distribution System.
She said that maternal mortality was very high in our country because of malnutrition. We have the highest number of malnourished children. The peasant is destroying his own crops in despair as he does not get a fair price for his produce. Then he commits suicide under the burden of debts.
She said that we must put an end to this dirty divisive policy of splitting the toiling people by various colours of ration cards. We must have a universal Public Distribution System. She demanded that under such a system, every person in the country, without any discrimination must be provided with rations at a reasonable price, of good quality and in sufficient quantity. She added that the rations must include, besides wheat, rice, sugar, kerosene, other necessities like dal, jowar-bajra. Vegetables, edible oil, salt, masala, etc.
Renu said that we must demand that peasants must be guaranteed a fair return on their produce, and all private trade and export of food must be stopped. We demand that the government cancels the policy of globalization through privatization and liberalization by which the workers, peasants, women and youth are being looted. The capitalists are becoming richer by the day while the toilers are reduced to poverty at the same rate.
Ration shops within the reach of people must be guaranteed. The control and management of the ration shops should be in the hand of committees set up for this.
In conclusion, she said that the capitalists are ruling in our country today. The capitalists control the government. We only have the right to vote. Even with change in government, the policy is made by the bourgeoisie; therefore, our aim must be to change the system, not just governments. This system is our enemy and we must come forward to overthrow the same. We must bring the rule of workers in place of the capitalist rule. Women’s liberation is possible only when all the people are liberated.
The Communist Ghadar Party’s statement, brought out on the occasion and entitled, “Women must organize and struggle in unity to realise their rights as human beings” was distributed by the Party’s women comrades at the meeting.
The meeting was addressed by representatives of AIDWA, Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, CWDS, Domestic Workers Forum, FORCES, JWP, NFIW, Rashtriya Dalit Mahila Andolan, Saheli, Sama, Swastik Mahila Samiti, YWCA, etc.
The meeting concluded with revolutionary songs.