A public meeting was organised by Purogami Mahila Sangathan and Lok Raj Sangathan to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 11, 2007 on the theme “Political empowerment is necessary for the emancipation of women”. The Worli BDD chawls are provided with water supply only at about 6 p.m. each evening. So, having completed the chores of washing their vessels and clothes, cleaning their homes and filling up water for the household till the next evening, about a 100 women participated in the meeting. Activists of the Communist Ghadar Party of India, Textile Workers Sangharsh Samiti, Molkarin (domestic workers) Sangathana and the Sanghmitra Mahila Mandal also participated in the meeting.

Tripti of Purogami Mahila Sangathan clarified to the women that the fundamental reason for their problems is the economic and political system, which serves the interests of the capitalists who are in the minority and not the interests of the large majority of people. The Indian State is controlled by the largest capitalists; this is why it is necessary that women fight shoulder to shoulder with all the oppressed and exploited to establish a political rule that will fulfill the needs of the people.

Kusum of Lok Raj Sangathan pointed out that ordinary people had taken praiseworthy initiatives in the recently held Municipal elections in the city. She said that today the political process is controlled by the big political parties that represent the interests of the big capitalists, and people are fed up with them. In such a situation, Shrimati Vaishali Girkar, herself a textile worker, stood from the Worli BDD constituency as a representative of textile workers. She had campaigned tirelessly, house to house, explaining to the people that their vote should not go to the big political parties who serve the big capitalists. Similarly, Raju Bhosle was selected to stand in opposition to the big parties’ candidates. The Molkarin Sangathana put up 6 candidates in Mumbai, one of whom, Malan Sonavne is present in this meeting, the speaker pointed out. The Dharavi Bachao Samiti’s demand in the elections was that Dharavi’s development should be for the three lakh residents and not for the private gain of a handful of builders. This Samiti had also put up 6 candidates. And the residents of Juhu, not only selected their own candidate, but voted him to power!

Kusum elaborated on the people’s initiatives underway in preparation for the forthcoming MCD elections in Delhi. Lok Raj Sangathan and other organizations are establishing a new political process of democratic selection of people’s candidates in full public glare, at open meetings of thousands of residents. This has become possible because people have established their Sangharsh Samitis. She said that this was the first step in challenging the rule of the rich and called on all present to establish such a samiti in Worli. This call was received with enthusiastic applause from all the women in the meeting.

The representative of the Communist Ghadar Party drew attention to the Soviet experience which showed that women can be emancipated only under Worker-Peasant Rule. “Our party has taken up the fight against Party Rule and supports every effort towards people’s empowerment”, said the speaker.

Besides Vaishali Girkar, Malan Sonavne and Anuradha Kirtane, several local activists of Lok Raj Sangathana addressed the meeting. Progressive songs and folk dances by the young children of the area added sparkle to the meeting. Prizes were distributed, on the occasion, to the winners of the drawing competition.

A large number of the women participated enthusiastically in the meeting that went on late into the evening and concluded only at 10:30 p.m.