Congress women’s wing votes out dual membership

Till now, Mahila Congress members paid Rs 2 annually as membership fee. In addition, they also paid the Congress membership fee of Re 1 which has since been hiked to Rs 3. The dual membership had to end, if the women were to challenge their male counterparts in the party. The idea is to form a core from which the women’s membership in the Congress can be increased to 33 per cent.

The move was proposed by Mahila Congress head Ambika Soni in her paper presented in the meeting and wasendorsed unanimously by the gathering. In future, no members will be enrolled for the Mahila Congress and the unit will lose its autonomous status. However, as a frontal organisation of the Congress, the mahila morcha will conduct agitations and take up issues. In 1999 the women’s wing will take up illiteracy as its main theme, fighting to eradicate it.

Sonia has also been authorised to nominate women to the posts at all levels starting from block and district levels. Though the All India Congress Committee (AICC) cleared the reservation for women on December 18, Sonia has yet to move on that front apart from forming a sub-committee to look into it. This four-member committee is scheduled to submit its report on January 30 after which the party expects Sonia to announce her nominations.

Interestingly, a section of Congress’ male leadership was present to watch their women colleagues take an important step.

People like P A Sangma, Oscar Fernandes, Shivraj Patil, Mukul Wasnik, V Narayansamy and otherscheered as the women decided political power was a must for women’s emancipation. The Congress is the only party in the country which has reserved posts for women, an issue which has forced a similar debate within other parties.

The party reiterated its stand that it was open to the concept of sub-quotas for minorities and OBCs within the women’s Reservation Bill with Sonia suggesting so in her inaugural address.

Sonia said, "There is a fear that reservations for women will benefit a privileged few. We are determined not to let this happen. We should make a deliberate effort at mobilising women belonging to Dalit, adivasi, backward class and minority communities. It is true that we must not think of India in terms of narrow segments and compartments. But at the same time we cannot wish away social realities, realities that have formed the very foundation of our society for centuries and continue to do so."

The Mahila Congress also approved a political training programme for its members and will sooncreate four wings focussing on different areas. To be formed are the Mahila Chetna Vibhag, legal aid, grievance and relief, cultural and socio-economic vibhag.

Another plan is to widen number of women from economically weaker sections stitching party flags which are then sold to the Congress, to improve the fund position of a party in the red.