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Efforts were carried
out to educate the entire party ranks in this division. As part of this, Engels
book on the "Family, private property and the state", the CC document, "Revolution
cannot succeed without women", and the AP circular on patriarchy were
studied. Classes were conducted for 15 days to DCM and AC secretary level
comrades, for 8 days, and for ACMs and squad member for 5 days. During these
classes, literature and cultural activities, in the name of "Let us eliminate
Patriarchy", with Video strips were prepared to explain how this Patriarchy
was continuing since primitive society till date. Based on the experiences of
many women comrades an article was written on Patriarchy in Adivasi Society.
They brought out a special anti- Patriarchy edition of ‘Turpu Kanuma’ (Literary
magazine of AOB).
Later, based on this
rectification campaign, it was critically analysed how Patriarchy was expressed
in various forms in the party ranks, leadership committees, individually, in the
movement, and how the women’s movement could counter it. The Divisional
Committee formulated a document enlisting the guidelines for removing Patriarchy
in cadres. In this light, the education and rectification campaign was taken
into the party structures, mass organizations and people in all squad areas,
through classes, seminars, cell meetings and public meetings. Rectifications
were continued in mass organizations and party structures. This campaign was
conducted between Feb.10th and March 15th.
Kalimela Area
In this area one and
a half day classes were conducted to all party and cell members, executive
committee members of mass organizations and those who were likely to join the
movement. In these classes 97 men and 47 women participated. The first days
class was on the document "Revolution cannot succeed without women", and
a half day’s class was on patriarchal forms in the area. The following aspects
were framed resolving them:
1) Men must share the
domestic work.
2) Women beating must
be stopped.
3) Forcible marriage
must be stopped.
4) Equal wages for
equal work.
5) The illicit
relations between adivasi women and non-adivasi men must be condemned.
6) Women must take
part in village political activities. Special attention must be given for this.
7) Every house must
have facilities for crushing grain. (With this men can also take part in grain
crushing)
8) Oppose Polygamy.
9) Stop sending girls
into forests in the name of "Gupparka" at the time of puberty.
10) Reduce the
experience of "Talleru Toppanadi" (money given to the village headsman’s wife
for cooperating at the delivery time) and "Pedderu Valanadi" (expenses during
the naming ceremony).
11) When a girl and
boy like each other, we must create an environment for understanding and
accepting the situation amongst the village elders, instead of running away.
12) Stop the
unnecessary expenses at the time when girls reach puberty and during marriage.
They decided to
discuss these aspects in all organizational structures in various villages and
implement them accordingly. After the classes, area-wise propaganda campaigns
were conducted. The range committee conducted this campaign in all the villages
under its jurisdiction in all its aspects and created an understanding in the
people.
Also how Patriarchy
manifests in the squads and Party structures, and the damage it causes to the
movement and to women was discussed and the self-criticism presented here was
taken into the villages. This had a good impact on the people and forced them to
think on such issues.
In a seminar
organized in the Tekuguda area, under the leadership of the squad, about 200
people participated. In this seminar the origins of Patriarchy and its effect
were discussed, and an attempt was made to develop an understanding on the
decisions taken during the classes.
Hailing International
Women’s Day, March 8th, and condemning Patriarchy, was carried as a campaign
through the posters, pamphlets and banners.
In a public meeting
organized in the Potteru area on March 8th, about 200 people, including 50 women
participated. In another meeting held on March 12, 500 people, including 200
women attended. In these meetings, speakers called on women to be a part of the
revolutionary movement for their emancipation. They explained that their
emancipation from patriarchy, and its roots, private property, can only be
removed through revolution.
Korukonda Area:
The Korukonda squad
conducted a concrete anti-patriarchal campaign in 25 villages in five pockets.
Explaining the various forms of patriarchy as experienced in the region, the
squad showed how this effects the revolutionary movement and retards women
joining the Party and the mass organizations. The squad conducted nine meetings
in all. In these meetings 133 women and 164 men participated. Many spoke at
these meetings, particularly the women, explaining in detail the forms of
patriarchy that existed. The women said that " we never considered this as a
form of oppression, we only thought of it as a responsibility, and accepted it
even though we did not like it". The men also made some self-criticisms
about their patriarchal behaviour. Finally they took an oath to share the
domestic work, to oppose forcible marriages, to put an end to customs that
effect women, and to jointly fight patriarchy.
Two seminars were
also organized in the area. In these 75 women and 140 men attended. They went on
for about five hours each. The speakers spoke about patriarchy, its origins, its
development and its main manifestations. After that they discussed how
patriarchy was expressed in different forms in the family, and finally the need
to eliminate it through anti-patriarchy programmes.
Two public meetings
were held on the occasion and international women’s day. They successfully
conducted the campaign amidst combing operations and attacks by the police.
Besides these, two campaign teams, with a total of 17 people conducted anti-
patriarchy meetings in 13 villages.
Other Areas and Students
Similar campaigns
were taken in the Galikonda area and the Srikakulam division. In the latter, 15
days classes were conducted for the DVC members and the AC secretaries, and 7
day classes for the AC members and the party members. The classes facilitated in
developing a common understanding of the cadre on the issue of patriarchy. Later
the DVC and AC members jointly continued the rectification movement on
patriarchy in the form of a Plenum, focusing on its manifestation in committees
and individuals. Later, the Plenum gave a call to continue the movement against
patriarchy amongst the people for one year. While going to the press the
rectification campaign was continuing amongst the cadre and the squads.
The RSU conducted
classes on the issue for the student activists. Here they also discussed how
patriarchy was manifesting in schools, particularly the girl schools. They then
took out 2000 pamphlets explaining how patriarchy was continuing in educational
institutions and the syllabus, and emphasizing the need to fight it. This
pamphlet provoked a debate amongst students and teachers, making them think on
the issue. It helped them to understand how patriarchy existed, who were
responsible for strengthening it for their selfish ends and how it resulted in
suppressing women.
Through this entire
campaign against patriarchy women’s self-confidence rose, the understanding
about the need for women to join in the revolutionary movement was enhanced, and
the importance of the issue was brought into focus adding to the raising of the
general consciousness of the people and cadre of the area.
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