We will take political power in our hands to end oppression and injustice!
Thousands of women marched in a joint rally from Mandi House to Parliament Street in Delhi where they organized a meeting on March 8. Participants in the rally included women, men, youth and students from all sections.
We will take political power in our hands to end oppression and injustice!
Thousands of women marched in a joint rally from Mandi House to Parliament Street in Delhi where they organized a meeting on March 8. Participants in the rally included women, men, youth and students from all sections. The rally was jointly organized by Purogami Mahila Sangathan, AIDWA, NFIW, AIPWA, AIDMAM, Pragatisheel Mahila Sangathan, Niranthar, Forces, Jagori, CWDS, Saheli, Swasthya Mahila Samiti, YWCA and several other women’s organizations. The participants held placards which read: “We will take political power in our hands to end oppression and injustice”, “We will organize and strengthen people’s samitis to ensure our security”, “We will fight for respect, safety and our rights”, “We demand livelihood for every one and remunerative prices for the peasant”, “People must have the power to decide on policies”, “We should have the power to legislate”, “An attack on one is an attack on all”, “Women’s emancipation is a necessary condition for the emancipation of society”, “Halt the price rise”, “End Futures Trading”, “Liberalisation, Privatisation and Globalisation are the causes for increasing exploitation and oppression of women”, “The toiling people must become the masters of the country’s wealth”, “End to exploitation and injustice, let us build a new society”!
The meeting began with a revolutionary song by youth. The meeting was addressed by representatives of each of the organisers, who were present on the stage. All the speakers held the government responsible for the increasing insecurity, escalating prices and the problems faced by women. They gave a call to the women that we must organize to fight for our security and for our rights, and keep the pressure on the government that it ensures our safety and the realization of our rights.
Addressing the meeting on behalf of Purogami Mahila Sangathan, Renu gave the history of this day, how communist women started the commemoration of this day, and right from the start, the struggle against women’s oppression was an integral part of the struggle against this exploitative system and for the establishment of socialism and communism. She pointed out that, on the one hand, the government is announcing various steps for the safety of women, but at the same time, the police, the armed forces, the highest officials and ministers of whichever parliamentary Party is in power are free to attack and rape women. Every government works in the interests of the biggest capitalists. We cannot rely on the government and on this state for our safety but must organize ourselves into our samitis for the struggle for our safety and for our rights.
The meeting concluded on a high note with a street play by the activists of the Joint Women’s Programme.