Banaras Women Convey their 'Mann ki Baat' to Prime Minister Modi
Women in Banaras conveyed their 'Mann ki Baat' (thoughts and feelings) to Prime Minister Modi on 17 August 2022 and said that under Modi Raj women are getting respect only on paper.
The women of Ganesh Basti in Kandwa, Banaras city, who are constrained to drink dirty and polluted well water even today, said that no benefits from any government scheme has so far reached their Basti. They wanted that cottage industry factories should be started in each Basti so that all women can become self-reliant. It is unfortunate that even in Modi's own parliamentary constituency they are not getting benefits of any government scheme. Where is the money meant for government schemes for women going?
The women demanded that the Collector should set up an enquiry team in Banaras under the supervision of social activists for the implementation of government schemes. AIPWA conducted a survey of 3 Bastis in connection with government schemes meant for poor women (2 municipal corporations Chhota Seer and Baijnath Colony in Nasirpur and one village, Ganeshpur).
The program was held at Shastri Ghat Kacheri organized by AIPWA and attended by working women and women weavers from Chhota Seer Basti, Baijnath Colony in Nasirpur and Ganeshpur Kandwa. Marxist writer and union leader VK Singh addressed the gathering and expressed his solidarity with the concerns of the women.
The program was dedicated to 9 year old dalit student Indra Meghwal in Rajasthan who was brutally beaten and killed for drinking water from a pot meant for 'savarnas'. Condolences and tributes were paid to him at the outset of the program.
Addressing the meeting, AIPWA UP Secretary Kusum Verma said that women in Varanasi are not getting the benefits of any government scheme. AIPWA has studied conditions in 3 Bastis. Women are not getting benefits of various government schemes even in the Parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister. He as the representative from Varanasi must explain where is the money from the education, health and employment related schemes going in this constituency? An enquiry committee supervised by social activists should be set up to find out the facts. AIPWA leader Vibha Prabhakar said that if the demands of the women of Varanasi are not fulfilled, we will intensify the struggle on the streets.
Women from the Bastis, Dhansheela, Vimla, Nagina, Radhika, Sita, Sarita, Reshma and others narrated the troubles of basti dwellers on issues like clean drinking water, water stagnation, ration cards, old age pension, widow pension and assistance for the disabled. The program was also addressed by Dr Munija Rafiq Khan, Smita Bagde and Dr Arif.
