International Women’s Day was celebrated on 8th March by Mahila Congress units at State and District levels by organizing various kinds of programmes which were dedicated to former Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi. Programmes in every State were organized on a large scale. AIMC President was felicitated by Kerala Kala Kendram as they presented her Shreeratana Award 2017. On the same day, Smt. Bindhu Krishna, President Kerala PMC held a protest march against the atrocities on women in Kerala which was led by Smt. Shobha Oza, President, AIMC. The March culminated in a Public Meeting outside the Secretariat. Smt. Hazeena Saiyed, Secretary AIMC & I/C Kerala was also present in the same.

On 1st March 2017, Madhya Pradesh Mahila Congress activists took-out a rally in Bhopal and burnt the effigy of Home Minister Shri Bhupendra Singh to protest against increasing crimes against women and minor girls and worsening law and order situation in the State. On 6th March, Madhya Pradesh Mahila Congress activists cooked food on Chulhas to protest against the hike in LPG cylinder prices. The food was served to about 200 hundred people at Roshanara Square. Similar protests were held across the country between 3rd - 7th March by Mahila Congress units.

Under the leadership of Smt. Abha Sinha, President Jharkhand PMC, Mahila Congress activists gheraoed Chief Minister’s residence, seeking ban on the sale of Liquor in the State wherein Police Lathi charged the gathering and later arrested them, on 9th March 2017.Further, Jharkhand PMC took out Nyay March in Ranchi on 29th March against State Government’s insensitivity towards exploitation and atrocities on women by the State Government. They sought CBI inquiry in the Police firing on villagers of Budhka Gaon and demanded that the State Government should apologize for it’s misbehavior with Congress MLA Smt. Nirmala Devi.

On 25th March, West Bengal unit of Mahila Congress participated in a March against the West Bengal Government for its involvement in SARDA and NARADA scams, which was organized by the West Bengal PCC. As a part of the Centenary Celebration of Late Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi, a Women Empowerment and Mahila Melawa was organized by Panvel City and Rural Mahanagar Palika in which Smt. Charulata Tokas, President Maharashtra PMC, her senior office bearers and other local leaders were present. Smt. Indu Pawar, President Jammu & Kashmir PMC campaigned for Bye-Election in Anantnag Parliamentary Constituency. On 28th March, Smt. Narela Sharda, President, Telangana PMC met Home Minister N. Narsimha Reddy alongwith a rape victim’s grand-mother, demanding justice for her.

A tribal minor girl of Ankola Gram Panchayat, Patrapur Block, Ganjam District in Odisha was kidnapped and gang-raped. A fact finding team of Odisha PMC, headed by State President Smt. Sashmita Behra, visited Behrampur, the district headquarter, to meet IG and SP. Since the minor girl belongs to the Women & Child Welfare Minister Smt. Usha Devi’s constituency, the matter was suppressed. The fact finding team demanded the resignation of the Minister and immediate arrest of the culprits.

Dr. Shobhna Shah