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It was an
unbelievable spectacle in a town in the feudal heartland of North Bihar with
thousands of women gathering to celebrate International Women’s Day. March 12,
2004 in Muzzaffarpur will remain a red-letter day in the minds of all its
citizens, where, amidst a sea of banners, slogans of women’s liberation rend the
air. Nari Mukti Sangh, North Bihar carried on the tradition of the NMS to
celebrate International Women’s Day in a big way.
As thousands streamed
into the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the meeting began with the flag hoisting
ceremony. This opening session was presided over by the chief guest, Comrade
Sukhwinder Kaur from Punjab. Then Comrade Sangita hoisted the banner of the NMS.
Then small children of North Bihar, belonging to the Revolutionary Cultural
Organisation, broke out into song of red flag. After this Com. Vinita of North
Bihar inaugurated the martyrs’ column. Then organizations, speakers, guests came
one by one and paid their respects at the Martyrs’ Column by placing flowers.
Then began the rally
that wound its way through the entire town. In the front of the rally was a huge
5 meter Red Banner on which was written "Long Live International Women’s Day".
Immediately behind this were 5 leaders of the NMS holding flags and marching in
unison. Behind this was the large children’s contingent performing war dances
while moving forward. This was the main attraction for the public that throngs
to see the performance. Then followed the thousands of women and finally the men
who marched forward in two line formations shouting slogans with the huge rally
paralyzing traffic, the entire township was thrown into disorder as the rally
continued to meander its way from cross-section to cross-sections. With every
participant either holding a flag, banner or placard it appeared as a sea of red
with slogans continuously rending the air – equal rights for women; stop killing
daughter-in-laws and female embryos; bury greedy dowry takers; down with police
atrocities; down with imperialism-feudalism; long live MLM; etc. the rally
culminated into a public meeting.
First comrade, Maju,
Munni and Vina were elected as the presidium to conduct the meeting. This was
proposed by Com. Manisha and seconded by Com. Nitu. Com. Vanita of North Bihar
delivered the inaugural address, she spoke on the historic importance of
International Women’s Day, the horrifying face of feudal oppression of women in
Bihar and police cooperation in perpetuating such atrocities. She called on all
the women to join the on going revolutionary people’s struggles in order to earn
self-respect for women and genuine women’s liberation. Then the chief guest,
Com. Sukhwinder Kaur, spoke on the condition of the people in Punjab and how
women are struggling for their rights. This was followed by large number of
speakers from fraternal organizations. Many speakers also exposed the on-going
electoral process and called on the people to boycott the elections. The
speeches were interspersed with revolutionary songs and dances. For the people
of Muzaffarpur it was a day to remember.
But the impact was
not only on the town but also in the entire region as campaigning for this
meeting began as early as mid Dec 2003. NMS teams spread from Village to village
over a three-month long period organizing group meetings, putting out cultural
performances, wall writing, postering and distributing handbills, facing
repression at the hands of the feudal authority and police, the campaign
continued non-stop. It was on Dec. 20-21 that a group of 40 gathered at Motihar
and planned the entire campaign and took up respective responsibilities.
Two campaign teams, A
and B, were formed, which divided the entire region amongst them. One chose the
Tirhut region, the other the Darbhanga region. One team after going from village
to village reached Bardka village in East Champaran district, where a successful
programme took place. As they were making preparations for the next day’s
performance the entire team was arrested. At the police station they were
abused, threatened and beaten. On hearing of the arrest an NMS leader phoned the
SP warning him. Fear-stricken as they were they immediately released the
arrested, but banned performances/meetings in the area and asked them to go to
their homes. The team went to a neighbouring region and continued their
campaign.
Numerous Villages
were covered in the first phase of the campaign from Dec. 22 to Jan 2, 2004. In
the second round from Jan 8 to 15 in 12 places cultural performances and public
meetings were held with attendance varying from 200 to 1000. After this phase
was over, a two-day working shibbir was organized of all activists in that area
(on Jan 16,17) and a 7-member committee was elected, allocating
responsibilities.
On Jan 18 and 19
public meetings were held in Dumri and Kursella where about 4000 to 5000
attended. Then a campaign was taken from Feb 4 to 14 in the West Champaran
region in which 12 meetings were held with 600 to 800 attending, from Feb 15 to
27 the Muzaffarpur rural region was covered and from March 1 to 10th the Motihar
region.
From March 10th the
entire teams were concentrated in Muzaffarpur town where thousands of posters,
banners, red flags, etc. covered the entire place. The entire town was painted
red. In the grounds of Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium a huge stage was constructed and
decorated. At the back of the stage were big cut-outs of Marx, Engel, Lenin,
Stalin and Mao. And right in front of the stage was a massive cut out of Clara
Zetkin decorated with flowers and garlands. The entire ground was a sea of
banners and flags. And right at the entrance was a huge banner cut out from
thermacole saying, "March 8 – International Women’s Day" organized by Nari Mukti
Sangh.
Indeed this event was
of great significance as North Bihar is one of the most feudal areas of the
country where women are forced to cover their faces if they appear in public or
even in the house before other male members. The event would probably be the
first of its kind ever held in that town.
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