AIDWA Andhra Pradesh State Conference begins

The 12th Andhra Pradesh State Conference of AIDWA began in Khammam. Senior leader and Telangana Struggle Warrior com. Mallu Swarajyam raised the flag to start the proceedings.

Inaugurating the 12th State conference of AIDWA on Monday, All-India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) general secretary Com. Sudha Sundararaman deplored that the government instead of taking concrete steps to ensure effective implementation of the Acts like Domestic Violence Act and anti-dowry law was contemplating to dilute them on illogical pretexts. Coming down heavily on the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre for allegedly trying to dilute the laws governing women's protection under pressure from some disgruntled and fundamental forces, com. Sudha Sundararaman has warned of intensive broad-based struggles if the government failed to drop the ‘detrimental move'.

“Specific instances of misuse of the Acts if any could be dealt with separately,” she said while underscoring the need for effective enforcement of the laws to uphold the constitutional safeguards meant for protection of women.

She demanded that the UPA government make proper floor management and ensure the passage of the long-cherished Women's Reservation Bill in the ensuing monsoon session of Parliament.

Sex ratio

As per the 2011 census figures, there was a drastic decline in child sex ratio at the national level as well as in several States including Andhra Pradesh, she deplored pointing out that number of girls had declined from 927 in 2001 to 914 for every 1,000 boys in 2011 census.

Andhra Pradesh reported sharp decline in the child sex ratio to an extent of 18 per cent.

The disturbing figures reveal the plight of girl child in the society and highlight the urgent need for a collective action to check the dangerous trend, she said.

She criticised the government for its alleged apathetic attitude towards addressing the grave problems plaguing women such as growing gender offences, malnutrition and anaemia.

Corruption

Corruption assumed grave proportions in the country under the present regime as was evident from the series of multi-crore scams like 2G spectrum, she charged and alleged that the UPA government lacked commitment to contain corruption which is taking a heavy toll on the common man.

“The rhetoric movements would not serve any purpose,” she felt underscoring the need for sustained agitations to exert pressure on the government take concrete steps to root out corruption from the grassroots level. The Lok Pal bill should have been brought in long back, she said.