A state level party class of leading women cadres was held in Kolkata on 18-19 February. A set of two papers -- "Women's Movement And Communist Party: Basics Revisited" and " Direction Of Work And Policies Of Women's Organisation" -- were presented respectively by comrades Mina Pal and Chaitali Sen, both members of the party’s West Bengal state committee and state women's department. The first one basically summarised comrade Arindam Sen's paper with the same title discussed at the all- India women's education camp for woman cadres held in Bardhaman on July 26-27, 2008. The second consisted of two parts: one dealing with the general orientation and overall policies drafted in light of comrade Kavita Krishnan's paper in the Bardhaman camp and the other dealing with policies for the peculiar conditions obtaining in West Bengal.
Inaugurating the session, West Bengal state secretary Partha Ghosh congratulated the recently formed state women's department for a pair of good endeavours: fixing up pockets of concentrated work for the department members and independently organising this class. The principal aim of the session -- indeed of all Marxist studies -- should be to broaden the horizon of thought, to learn to think scientifically, he said. The In-charge of the state women's department ,Chaitali Sen then explained the political and organisational context of the class. She also said the central women's department in its recent meeting has observed that in future responsible male comrades should also be invited to attend such classes on the women's question. The young male comrades (students/ex-students) -- one of them a member of the party's state committee -- who volunteered to assist the arrangements and to participate in the class deserved to be appreciated, she added.
Both the papers generated a very lively collective discussion and debate on various aspects of theory and practice. In all 21 comrades working in urban and rural areas participated. Towards the end of the session they said they gained much political energy and ideological clarity from the discussions. Such sessions must be held more frequently, they demanded, while some declared that they would organise classes in their own districts. If there was one major deficiency it was that a few comrades could not attend the class because of various hindrances including, at least in one case, household responsibilities.
Comrade Arindam Sen, who participated in the interactive sessions, also delivered the closing speech. The purpose of the class as mentioned by comrade state secretary has been achieved to some extent, he said, and now the emphasis should be squarely placed on the other aspect the latter referred to, i.e., developing areas of concentrated work. Supporting the comrades who expressed the desire of organising such classes in their own districts, he said they must stick to this resolve and ensure that the special task of training up women activists is not "forgotten" under the pressure of other "more important" party tasks.
After conclusion of the main session, a short discussion of the international financial crisis was held. In the end comrade Mina Pal gave the vote of thanks. The entire proceedings were conducted by veteran party leader and AIPWA state president Gita Das.
