Braving the searing heat, women, girls and children belonging to several slum colonies of Delhi participated in a rally on March 2008 from Firozshah Kotla to Delhi Secretariat (CM’s office) to demand toilets and other civic amenities.

This demonstration was organised under the leadership of Lok Raj Sangathan, Purogami Mahila Sangathan, Lok Raj Samiti – Sanjay Colony, Lok Raj Samiti – Madanpur Khadar Rehabilitation Colony, Transit Camp Bachao Morcha, Hind Naujawan Ekta Sabha and Jan Pratinidhi Manch. Senior members of several other organisations participated in support of the demonstration which was confronted with a heavy police presence. “If women do not even have toilets, then what is the meaning of ‘women’s empowerment’?” read the main banner of the demonstration, which demanded toilet facilities, clean drinking water, health services, cleanliness and adequate schools from the Delhi government.

The march was stopped en route by the police and was converted into a rally. Chhaya of the Purogami Mahila Sangathan, who was conducting the proceedings, pointed out that over 40,000 working men, women and children reside in Sanjay Colony, situated in Okhla Industrial Area Phase II. This colony is devoid of toilets for women! A similar situation prevails in most of the other slum colonies of Delhi. The secretary of Lok Raj Sangathan, Delhi said that it was a shame for the whole of society and the Delhi government that women of Delhi had to defecate in the open in the 21 st century. The government and the parliamentary parties are only carrying out the dictates of the big capitalists. It is they who are behind the plan to convert Delhi into a “beautiful, world – class city” There is no place for slum colonies in the Master Plan of Delhi! Neither is there any thought of providing them with water, cleanliness and toilet facilities. We should have only one path, which is ensuring that power comes to the hands of the people, so that people would decide who should enjoy civic facilities in this city. Surely it must be the working masses of the city, and not a small handful of capitalists!

Indu Prakash, prominent social worker, pointed out that because some women are holding high offices today, it should not be understood that women as a whole have been empowered. The struggle must go on! Santosh Kumar, activist of the Hind Naujawan Ekta Sabha, congratulated especially the children who took part in the demonstration. This capitalist system forces workers and toiling people to come on the streets to demand even the smallest of rights! Amarjeet, president of the Lok Raj Samiti of Sanjay Colony said that the people of Sanjay Colony have been struggling to get their basic rights for the past two years. We must keep this up till we succeed! Thaneshwar of the Rashtriya Mazdoor Adhikar Manch asserted that toilets and other civic amenities are our birth right. Comrade Shahdur Rehman (Khan Bhai) of the Lok Raj Samiti, Madanpur Khadar Rehabilitation Colony emphasised that we must continue our struggle to change this system.

A delegation consisting of Birju Nayak, Renu Nayak, Dukhni Devi, Gyant Devi and Kamla Devi , met the secretary of Chief Minister Sheila DIxit and handed over a memorandum. The secretary was appraised of the struggle for toilet facilities for women in Sanjay Colony over the last two years. The justness of the demands and the determination of the people who met him led the secretary to give an assurance that appropriate steps would be taken soon to address the problem.