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CHAPTER - II
BACKGROUND AND FORMATION OF
ASSAM PRADESHIK MAHILA SAMITY
2.1 Status of Assamese Women in 19th Century and in the 15-23
beginning of 20th Century
2.2 Background and Formation 23-34
2.3 The All Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity 34-38
2.4 Objectives 38-41
2.5 The Organizational Structure of the Assam Pradeshik 41-43
Mahila Samity in Assam
2.5.1 Primary Member and Primary Mahila Samity 43-44
2.5.2 District Mahila Samity 45-47
2.5.3 The Provincial Working Committee 47-50
2.5.4 Finance 50-55
CHAPTER - II
BACKGROUND AND FORMATION OF ASSAM
PRADESHIK MAHILA SAMITY
CHAPTER-II
This chapter describes the status of Assamese women in the 19th century
and in the beginning of 20th century, circumstances leading to the formation of
Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity and discusses its objectives, organizational
structure and the aspects relating to its income.
2.1 Status of Assamese women in 19th century and in the beginning of
20th century :
A picture of the position and status of Assamese women in society before
1926 is necessary to understand the social environment under which the women
of Assam organized themselves. The nineteenth century proved to be a total
transformation for the province of Assam. The collapse of Ahom monarchy and
the beginning of colonial rule had changed the whole scenario of Assam. In 1826
Assam came under the British control. With the advent of the British, Assam
came into close and effective contact with the rest of India. A number of changes
were made in the economic and the social structure of society and some substantial
progress was achieved in eliminating inequalities between men and women in
education, employment and social rights. But due to the lack of organized
movement or organized public opinion, misconceptions and age long beliefs
continued to persist in Assamese society. In pre-colonial Assamese society,
caste prejudices were not as rigid as in other parts of the country. But age old
16
beliefs and customs prescribed dual standards of power and status for the male
and female. Women were assigned a subordinate status. Among the higher castes,
particularly among the Brahmins and Kayasthas, widows were expected to lead
a severe life and their remarriage was strictly prohibited. Widowhood was
considered to be the greatest misfortune for a woman. Of course, widow remarriage
was prevalent among the lower class people. But a remarried widow was not
considered equal in respect and status with that of a woman married for the first
time.1 Child marriage was a widely prevalent system during the early part of
nineteenth century in Assamese society. The Hindu Law book Manu Samhita
prescribed the marriageable age for girls as twelve or even eight. Manu greatly
influenced the Assamese society and gradually early marriage became an
established custom in society, particularly among the higher castes. “Kulinism,
Sati or self immolation of widow and infanticide were unknown in Assam as
elsewhere in the country, but Assamese women had also to suffer from the evils
of widowhood, child marriage and polygamy.”2 Among the Brahmin and Kayastha
families, the female child was married off long before puberty, but among the
non Brahmin communities child marriage was not common. In the wake of the
Burmese invasion into Assam (1817-23), the position of women deteriorated.
The Burmese oppressed Assamese people in every possible way. Life in general
became totally insecure. People were robbed and looted and villages and temples
burnt. Untold atrocities were committed on women and even children. Many
thousands of Assamese people including women were carried away by the
1. Dipti Sharma, Role of the Women of Assam in the Freedom Movement during the period
1921-47 with special reference to Brahmaputra Valley, G.U. Thesis, 1987, p-8.
2. H.K. Barpujari, (ed.) The comprehensive History of Assam. vol.-V, 2004 pp-202-203.
17
Burmese as slaves and were insulted in every possible way. Under such barbarous
and inhuman conduct, Assamese women lost everything. She lost her identity
and freedom. In such a state of insecurity the Assamese Hindus gave their
daughters in marriage at an early age and at times to married persons to protect
their daughters from the humiliation of the invaders. Gradually these measures
turned into social customs like early marriage and polygamy and gradual
development of such social customs certainly lowered the position of women.
Gait observes that the oppression of the Burmese were unbearable and no one
could be sure of his life.3
Thus the foreign invasions of early nineteenth century
greatly affected the status of Assamese women and pushed them to a subordinated
position in society. Yet despite their subservient status, the rural women of Assam
were remarkably free in regard to movement and outdoor activities.4
With the establishment of British rule in this region marked changes occurred.
With the induction of large number of clerks from Bengal in the administration,
Bengali culture permeated into the Assamese society thereby bringing on certain
practices which were unknown in the pre-British Assamese society. For instance,
the Purdah in the form of orani or veil was introduced among upper class families.
In upper class families, girls from the age of 10-11, were kept within the four
walls of the home. Moreover, if women had to go out somewhere, apart from
using their veils, they were supposed to be shielded by the big Japies, so that
none could see them.5
3. Edward Gait, A History of Assam. Reprint 2010, pp-236-237.
4. Jeuti Barooah, Single woman in Assamese Hindu Society, 1993, p-42.
5. Nalinibala Devi, Eri Aha Dinbor. 1976, p-12.
18
Before the advent of the British, women’s education was not encouraged in
Assam. Women were denied all facilities of education and whatever education
they received was received at home. “Formal education was not considered
relevant for girls.”6 William Robinson commenting on the status of women in
the nineteenth century Assam observed that females are not included within the
pale of education, every ray of mental improvement is kept from the sex. As they
are always confined to domestic duties, and excluded from the society of the
other sex, the people see no necessity for their education. A woman’s duties are
comprised in ‘pleasing her husband and cherishing her children.7 The idea of
imparting education to women emerged only after the advent of the British. Earlier
it was held that since women did not have to earn their livelihood, there was no
need of education for them. Such ideas lowered the status of women and
consequently the opportunity for her education. In the nineteenth century,
industrialization created many changes which was also reflected in the trends of
education. But even then in Assam women’s education was sadly neglected. “Even
advocates of female education abhorred the very idea of girls becoming doctors
and lawyers.8 Women’s education was considered as a great danger to the position
of man in society and it was viewed that women should only have knowledge of
domestic duties. A section of conservative men in Assam vehemently condemned
female education. Bolinarayan Bora (1852-1927) a bachelor in Engineering from
Kripar Hill College of England, stated that the Man (Burmese) oppressed the
Assamese people, but education of women would produce a greater disaster than
6. Jeuti Barooah, op. cit, p-37.
7. William Robinson, A Descriptive Account of Assam. Reprint 1975, p-277.
8. H.K. Barpujari, (ed.) The Comprehensive History of Assam. vol.-V, 2004, p-202.
19
the oppression of Burmese in Assam. He believed that domestic work should be
the main concern of woman’s life and that if they become educated it would
foster in them an aversion to domestic works and disrespect to traditional culture.9
Young litterateur of Nowgong, Ratneswar Mahanta (1864-1893), expressed his
strong feelings against women’s education and pointed out that women’s
emancipation as forwarded by some is nothing but egoism and arrogance. Another
contemporary litterateur, Lambodar Bora (1860-1892), opined that educated
women would become effeminate and act more like men. They would then even
think of divorcing their husbands.10
Even the elderly ladies of Assamese society
held similar views. In fact, in the early years of British rule the Assamese people
did not think that it was necessary to educate girls.
Formal education for girls started only after the advent of Christian
Missionaries in Assam. Although the Christian Missionaries came to Assam with
a view to preaching, they undertook some welfare activities as well. They may
be considered as the pioneers of formal education for women in Assam. “The
Christian Missionaries like Mrs. Brown Cutler, Robinson and Barkar had initiated
schools for girls. The first girls school was opened at Sibsagar in 1840 and then
Nowgong and Gauhati consequently. However, many young girls of orthodox
background had lost their privilege of attending schools and their social barrier
had stood as obstacles to their freedom and progress.”11
Due to the practice of
child marriage, most girls were withdrawn from school at an early age. Of course,
9. Priyam Goswami, Keynote Address in Shirin Banu (ed.) Status of Women in Colonial Assam.
2010, p-5.
10. Nanda Talukdar, (ed.) Lambodar Bora Rachanavali. 1983, p-62.
11. N.N. Acharya, A Brief History of Assam. 1987, p-258.
20
towards latter part of nineteenth century some attention to female education began
to be paid under the leadership of a few enlightened persons of Assam. They
encouraged female education in articles published in popular magazines like
Orunodoi, Assam Bandhu (1885), Mou (1886) and newspapers like Assamese
News (1880). Amongst the few educated persons Haliram Dhekial Phukan and
his son Anandaram Dhekial Phukan advocated the emancipation of women
through education. Moreover, the problem of widow remarriage and the evil
practice of early marriage attracted the attention of the educated youth of nineteenth
century and early twentieth century Assam. Gunabhiram Barua, Hemchandra
Barua and Lakhsminath Bezbaruah advocated widow remarriage, abolition of
child marriages and female education through their writings. Gunabhiram Baruah
(1834-1894) wrote articles in Orunodoi on women’s issues and advocated the
need for female education. He married Bishnupriya, the widow of Parasu Barua,
a friend of Anandaram Dhekial Phukan in 1870.12
He also gave his daughter,
Swarnalata, in marriage after the death of her husband. Gunabhiram Barua by
marrying a widow tried to popularise widow remarriage and to promote women’s
education. Hemchandra Barua (1835-1896), another progressive writer, advocated
women’s education in his writings in Orunodoi. He was also a strong advocate
of widow remarriage and he “refused to marry a second time after the death of
her wife in protest against the prevalent social injustice to women in the Hindu
Society.”13
The efforts of these Assamese intellectuals succeeded to a limited
extent only. Their efforts could not touch the heart of common masses and the
12. Dipti Sharma, Role of the Women of Assam in the Freedom Movement during the period
1921-47 with special reference to the Brahmaputra Valley , G.U. Thesis, 1987, p-8.
13. Tilotama Misra, Literature and Society in Assam. 1987, p-118.
21
condition of women did not show any improvement. Even at the turn of the
nineteenth century, scope for female education in Assam made very slow progress.
In any case, the scope for female education in Assam was very limited. As there
was no higher educational institutions in Assam, Debiprova Bhuyan, a progressive
women, had to take her two daughters, Durgaprova and Hemaprova, to Calcutta
to study in Bethune School. In 1916 an educated Assamese woman, Kadambori
Saikia, passed her middle school examination from Nowgong in 1916 and she
was the only girl student of her school at that time.14
Household and economic activities of women also indicate her status and
position in society. In the traditional Assamese society, women were engaged in
cooking and distributing meals, rearing children, cleaning, washing and looking
after the comforts of the members of their households. Though women of non
Brahmin and non-Kayastha communities got considerable freedom in outdoor
activities, their domestic condition was in no way different from their counterparts
in the upper castes. Most women worked in the fields, particularly in planting,
weeding, tending crops and harvesting of paddy, in addition to their domestic
work. But her productive activities did not translate into economic or social
power.15
Her work outside the home was considered as part of her duties as a
wife and mother. Moreover, traditionally woman had no claim to property.
Besides the household activities knowledge of weaving has traditionally
been regarded as a matter of prestige for an Assamese woman. Historian S.K.
14. Jeuti Barooah, Single Women in Assamese Hindu Society. 1993, p-39.
15. Priyam Goswami, Keynote Address in Shirin Banu (ed.) Status of Women in Colonial Assam.
2010, p-3.
22
Bhuyan observed that “a unique feature of Assamese society is the absence of
any specific class reserved only for weaving. Every Assamese women, be she the
daughter of a Brahmin or a Sudra, a Buddhist or an animist, a Muhammadan or
a Christian, a prince or a beggar, is a weaver by birth. A knowledge of weaving is
an essential qualification for her, which proficiency in the art ensures for her a
ready disposal in the matrimonial market.”16
So from their very childhood, girls
were trained in spinning, weaving and in other domestic works. Gandhi during
his visit to Assam in 1921 praised women of Assam as expert weaver and spinners.
In Young India, he remarked, “Every woman of Assam is a born weaver and she
weaves fairly tales in cloth”17
Though the girls received training in domestic
activities, they did not get opportunities for formal education.
However, towards the end of nineteenth century and the beginning of
twentieth century, Assamese women began to participate in public domain and
nationalist campaigns. Within the nationalist movement in the early twentieth
century, there developed some women organizations in Assam, like Dibrugarh
Mahila Samity, Nowgong Mahila Samity and Tezpur Mahila Samity. These
women organizations took up issues regarding the status of women. Moreover,
by this time Assamese women got opportunities to express their opinions through
Asom Sahitya Sabha and Asom Chatra Sanmilan. During this period a section of
women came out from the four walls of their houses and joined in public activities
for national freedom. Mothers and wives of local leaders broke tradition,
accompanied their husbands and addressed public meetings. Women also began
16. Surya Kumar Bhuyan, Studies in the History of Assam. 2nd edition, 1985, p-66.
17. K.N. Dutta, Landmarks of the Freedom Struggle in Assam. 1965, p-58.
23
to speak against the use of opium and alcohol addiction, they began to work for
Hindu-Muslim unity, addressed issues of untouchability and campaigned against
the use of foreign cloth and for the use of swadeshi goods.
Thus, women gradually stepped into the outside world from the confinement
of their homes. Women of Assam actively participated in the freedom movement
of India. Gandhi’s visit to Assam in 1921 had encouraged them to come out for
the cause of the nation and it brought about a new awakening among women.
2.2 Background and Formation :
Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity was registered under the societies Act 1860
in 1926. The APMS was initially formed with the motive of working for the
welfare of women and children. Its history is one of continual progress from
small beginnings to greater and wider fields of welfare works affecting primarily
women and children and also society in general. The depressed condition of
women in society was the main factor which lay behind the formation of the
voluntary organization. A section of society felt that many social customs and
institutions came in the way of progress and they also realized that women suffered
from various social injustices which needed immediate redress. This realization
led to the creation of a particular platform for agitation for the redressal of women’s
disabilities. The teaching and works of social workers and reformers like Raja
Ram Mohan Roy, Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda, Vinoba Bhave also
inspired them to render services for the welfare of the downtrodden. The struggle
for national freedom led by Mahatma Gandhi, encouraged women of the state to
24
form organizations for their emancipation. Since its formation to present day
APMS has been working for the empowerment of women and has taken an active
part in condemning evil social customs and practices which denied equal status
to women.
The British brought with them new ideas and knowledge which initiated
some basic changes in the social structure of Indian society. The cumulative impact
of a new administrative set up, introduction of western education, improvement
in the transport and communication and influx of new ideas created a new
atmosphere in the country resulting in a new awakening among the Indian people.
The new awakening also found expressions in the movement for liberation of the
Indian women from the medieval forms of social subordination and suppression
from which they suffered for centuries. A group of social religious reformers
being influenced by the western liberal ideas took the lead in making efforts at
improving the conditions of women. In fact, the religious and social reform
movements of the 19th century that paved the way for the creation of political
nationalism also opened up the path of women’s liberation. Raja Ram Mahan
Roy, the pioneer of these movements took up the job of ensuring an equalistic
social status of women. He was the first person who raised his voice against the
injustice perpetrated on women in the name of tradition and religion.18
He realized
that by confining the Indian women within the antiquated precincts of religious
and ritualistic irrationality and by committing excess on them, the nation’s future
could not be built. Through his life long struggle against such diabolical customs
as Sati, female infanticide, widowhood, he paved the way for women’s
18. Aparna Basu and Bharati Roy, Women’s Struggle. 1990, p-1.
25
emancipation movement in India. After his death Dwaraka Nath Tagore and Iswar
Chandra Vidyasagar continued his work. In western India, Dayananda Saraswati,
Jyotiba Phule, Professor D.K. Carvey, Rande and others pioneered women’s
liberation movement while in the South the movement was spearheaded by Birash
Lingam Pantalu. Other reformers like Vivekananda, Dayananda Saraswati,
Vidyasagar, K.C. Sen took up the cause of the emancipation of Indian women.
They pointed out low status, early marriage and illiteracy as the major factor
from which the Indian women suffered. During this period associations like the
Brahma Samaj, Arya Samaj took initiative in the upliftment of women.
The noose of religious and social traditions bound the Indian women so
tightly that it was not easy to cut themselves off from centuries of subordination.
The missionaries, in their bid to attract the Indian women towards Christianity,
had set up schools for the destitute girls and women, thereby paving the way for
women’s education. These destitute women were the real harbingers of modern
education for the Indian women. In the initial phase, the conservative Indian
society vehemently opposed the introduction of women’s education, but with the
expansion of the western liberalism, the social outlook also went a sea change.
The women members of the aristocratic families also realised that the first step
to women’s emancipation was through education. The famous Wood’s Despatch
of 1884 laid stress on female education and on the basis of Wood’s
recommendations, girls schools were set up in various cities and towns at
government and private levels. Taking advantage of this, the Indian girls were
soon able to exhibit their intelligence and skill with the spread of education among
them and they became more self conscious and dignified.
26
By the end of the nineteenth century, Indian women were gathering courage
to challenge society and they began to form their own organizations under their
own leadership. They built up their own organizations and created a platform for
agitation for their emancipation. In 1882, Pandita Ramabai Saraswati of Poona
founded the Arya Mahila Samaj and Sarda Sadan to provide employment and
education to women.19
The freedom movement instilled the nationalistic spirit in a large section of
Indian women. During the movement a considerable part of the existing social
restrictions became lax. Taking advantage of that, the women earned a lot of
individual freedom for themselves. A few magnanimous European women had,
by dint of their constructive works, advanced the cause of Indian women to a
great extent. Prominent among them was Annie Besant, an Irish woman, who
pioneered the Home Role Movement in India. In 1917, she was elected as the
first woman President of Indian National Congress. It was a very crucial event in
the history of women’s movement in India since after this, the leadership of the
movement got transformed to the women themselves. In the beginning of 19th
century, a series of women’s organizations were formed in different parts of India.
In 1908 Gujrat Stree Mandal was formed in Ahmedabad and in 1913 Mahila
Sewa Samaj was formed in Myshore. In the year of 1916, another Mahila Sewa
Samaj was formed in Poona. All these women’s organizations were formed on
women’s issues but confined to a locality or a city. During this period, Indian
women learnt that their movement in liberation was only a part of the largest
perspective of the freedom struggle, that in a subservient state no man or woman
19. Aparna Basu and Bharati Roy, Women’s Struggle. 1990, p-3.
27
can have any individual freedom and that women’s progress was a far cry without
political freedom. The need was felt to set up an organization to unite the women
into a concerted force. Accordingly, at the initiative of Annie Besant, Margaret
Cousins and Dorothy Jinardasa, the women’s Indian Association was formed in
1917 in Madras city.20
It was the first Indian national women’s organization and
it had its branches in different parts of India. In the foundation year, a delegation
of women’s Indian Association, led by Sarojini Naidu met Montague, the Secretary
of State and demanded women’s right for voting. It was from this time that Indian
women began to raise their voices against social injustices. P.M. Premalatha has
observed that ‘‘It was only after the formation of the women’s Indian Association,
that women began to involve directly in their own affairs and women’s movement
as a serious movement against female condition began.”21
The all Indian women organizations had no branch in Assam and therefore
no direct influence of these associations has been seen on Assamese women. The
women’s movement in Assam, started during India’s freedom struggle. Gandhi’s
visit to the State in 1921 spurred the freedom movement which had already
gathered some momentum. Owing to the presence of an essentially tribal culture,
social evils such as Sati, dowry and female infanticide were usually not found in
Assamese society. Of course the basic problem faced by the Assamese society
was to make the women conscious towards the imperative need of education.
During the latter part of the nineteenth century, a few Assamese intellectuals
stood for social reforms and education of women. Assamese educated persons
20. Aparna Basu and Bharati Roy, Women’s Struggle. 1990, p-3.
21. P.N. Premalatha, Nationalism & Women’s Movement in South India. 1917-47, 2003, p-17.
28
like Anandaram Dhekial Phukan, Gunabhiram Barua, Gangagobinda Phukan and
Hemchandra Barua took initiative in improving the condition of Assamese women.
They came under the influence of the ideas and philosophy of some social
reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Iswar Chandra Bidyasagar when they
were in Calcutta. Except these intellectual efforts, no organised movement was
made to reform the society, particularly to improve the condition of women. By
the early twentieth century, prominent citizens began to organize and demonstrate
their dissent against several issues. During this time organizations like Asom
Sahitya Sabha, the Assam Association and later the Asom Chatra Sanmilan were
formed and the members of these organizations devoted themselves for the
development of Assamese people. In fact, the growth of modern political
consciousness among the Assamese people greatly contributed to the women’s
movement in Assam. The emergent social consciousness propagated by these
organizations resulted in the beginning of women’s movement, providing the
first platform through which women disseminated their opinions. A few educated
Assamese women began to join the conferences of these organizations. In 1918
the third annual conference of Asom Chatra Sanmilan was held in Tezpur and
Lakhiprabha Saikia, Chandrakanti Das and a number of young women participated
in this public meeting for the first time.22
Chandraprova Saikiani an educated
working woman popularly known as Saikiani, also joined the conference as a
delegate and gave a speech on the prevention of opium use. This was the first
public speech given by a woman. In the same year, she joined the third conference
of Asom Sahitya Sabha which held in Barpeta and delivered a speech on
22. Indira Miri, (ed.) Souvenir. APMS, 1975, pp-9-10.
29
untouchability. Her speech stimulated a process of questioning the caste system
and other traditional practices within the Assamese society. Chandraprova Saikiani
also joined the Nowgong session of Asom Sahitya Sabha which was held in 1925
and here she gave a blow to the prevalent purdah system by her spirited speech.
Thus the formation and activities of the socio-culture, political and literary
organizations of Assam like Assam Association, Asom Sahitya Sabha and Asom
Chatra Sanmilan provided a platform for Assamese women and it paved the way
for the emergence of the Assam Mahila Samity.
The emergence of Mahatma Gandhi in Indian politics and his call of women
to involve themselves in social and political activities inspired the Assamese
women. In September, 1920 the special session of Indian National Congress was
held in Calcutta and it greatly influenced the political scene of Assam. Assamese
delegates like Chandranath Sarma, joined the session and they were instrumental
in spreading Gandhian thought in Assam. Moreover, Gandhi’s visit to Assam in
1921 encouraged Assamese women and inspired them to get involved with the
activities other than household chores. Gandhi believed that men lacked the spirit
of humanity and sacrifice that naturally exist in the women. So he decided to
engage the women in the movement to awaken the moral spirit lying hidden in
men. In response to Gandhij’s clarion call, women across the country spilled out
on to the streets. The women of Assam were no exception. The Gandhian
movement with its emphasis on women’s political participation helped in the
emergence of the women’s movement in Assam.23
Many Assamese women like
Nalinibala Devi, Hemanta Kumari Devi, Guneswari Majumder fell under Gandhi’s
23. Aparna Mahanta, Journey of Assamese Women 1836-1937. 2008, p-96.
30
influence and they strongly supported Gandhi’s non-co-operation programme.
The members of Assam Provincial Congress Committee invited Gandhi to come
to Assam to propagate the message of non-cooperation among the masses. Gandhi
came to know that weaving and spinning was a common practice of every
household of Assam and every Assamese woman was an expert in this art. Gandhi
was impressed by it and he decided to visit Assam, altering all his pre-engagement
programmes.24
During his stay in Assam, Gandhi organized women’s meetings
and urged Assamese women to unite the nation. Gandhi was accompanied by
Begum Muhammad Ali to spread the message of the khilaphat, a Muslim religious
movement. Gandhi’s call gave a momentum to the organization of woman in
Assam and inspired them to participate in social and political affairs of the country.
In the absence of any women’s organization in Assam, the women belonging to
the families of prominent Congress leaders took the initiative in organising the
women to come out of their homes. This new spirit of socio-political activity
among Assamese women during the 1st half of nineteenth century contributed to
the formation of Assam Mahila Samity which later known as Assam Pradeshik
Mahila Samity.
Even before the appearance of Gandhi in Assam, some educated women
had begun to organize themselves, following the lead given by the enlightened
persons of the time. They had felt the need for a platform to voice their opinions
and had started to organize themselves from the year 1915. These few educated
women of Assam paid their interest mainly on the issues of women’s education
and rendering help to needy women. In 1915 at the initiative of educationist
24. Arun Chandra Bhuyan & Sibopada De, (ed.) Political History of Assam. Vol.-II, 1978, p-39.
31
Hemaprova Das, social worker Debiprova Bhuyan and educationist Kunti Phukan,
the Dibrugarh Mahila Samity was formed. This Mahila Samity was the pioneer
of women’s organizations in Assam.25
The Dibrugarh Mahila Samity focussed
on women’s education and giving aid to destitute women. In the same way the
local ladies of Sibsagar town formed the Sibsagar Mahila Samity in 1916.
Assamese intellectuals like Dinanath Bezbaruah, Ganga Gobinda Phukan and
Paramananda Bharali encouraged the youth of the town to take up intellectual
pursuits. Under coming influence of these intellectuals, a few educated youths
started to celebrate Jaymati Utsav to create consciousness and nationalist
sentiment among women. The celebration of Jaymati Utsav aroused
encouragement among the local women and they decided to celebrate it annually.
The Sibsagar Mahila Samity was formed for this purpose. Though the main
purpose of the Sibsagar Mahila Samity was to celebrate Jaymati Utsav, it
contributed to the organization of women in Assam. In 1917 the Nowgong Mahila
Samity was formed at the initiative of Khagendripriya Baruani and Swarnalata
Barua.26
The women of Tezpur first organized themselves to form what was then
called the Tezpur Mahila Samity in 1919. Kironmoiyee Agarwala (mother of
Jyotiprasad Agarwala) took active part in the formation of Tezpur Mahila Samity.
Chandraprova Saikiani also involved herself with local ladies in forming Mahila
Samities in Nowgong and Tezpur respectively. In Tezpur there had been an earlier
Mahila Samity prior to 1919.27
The chief aim of this Mahila Samity was to provide
25. Bharati Barua and Dipali Barua, (ed.) Smarnika. fifty sixth session of APMS, Dibrugarh,
1990, p-38.
26. Ibid, p-38.
27. Aparna Mahanta, Journey of Assamese Women 1836-1937. 2008, p-99.
32
aid to the needy and scholarship to poor boys. But it was not active as desired
and hence Chandraprova Saikiani, in association with Kiranmoyee Agarwala
and others, reorganized it as the Tezpur Mahila Samity. Following the examples
of these Mahila Samities, a number of women organizations known as Mahila
Samities were formed in different parts of the state. These Mahila Samities were
small and they had no formal connection with each other. The main objective of
these Mahila samities was the upliftment of society, primarily of the women and
children in respect of their cultural, economic and educational matters. Though
these Samities emerged partially due to the deep rooted feelings of nationalism
perpetuated by the freedom movement, they offered services to various aspects
of women’s lives. They had become agencies for social change and economic
development of women. Through these organizations Assamese women got
opportunity to come out and contribute to the freedom movement. These women
organizations also showed great interest in the constructive programme of
Mahatma Gandhi. But the call of Gandhian ideology was not the only factor
behind the organization of women in Assam. Apart from the efforts of the educated
and conscious women who contributed to the organization of women in Assam,
the formation of Mahila Samities in Assam was influenced by the parallel
movements which took place outside the province.
Since the mid nineteenth century, literary and socio-political activities of
Bengal touched Assam. The Bengali press and Assamese students who were
studying and living in Calcutta were instrumental in spreading information of
socio-political activities of Bengal along with other news of the time. In 1882
33
Swarnakumari Devi of Bengal organized the Sakhi Samiti, which converted into
a craft centre for widows.28
In 1910 Sarala Devi who was an activist of Swadeshi
movement of Bengal, formed the Bengal Stree Mahamandal, the first all India
women’s organization. Sarala Devi was the cousin of Pragnasundari Devi, wife
of Lakshminath Bezbaruah. Latika Devi who belonged to famous Tagore family
of Calcutta, lived in Gauhati with her husband Jnanadabhiram Baruah and she
was very supportive of the Mahila Samity’s activities in Assam. Moreover, after
Gandhi’s visit to Assam in 1921, many all India leaders like Rajendra Prasad,
K.D. Malaviya and others visited Assam and inspired Assamese people including
women to take interest in socio-political affairs of the nation. Assamese journals
of the time like Assam Hitoishi, Banhi and Milan published reports of women’s
conferences which were held in other states along with news about the activities
of women like Annie Besant, Sarojini Naidu, Kamaladevi Chattopadhya.
Assamese women could read all about these through the journals and got the
idea of forming a statewide women’s organization in Assam. However, the
necessity for a statewide women’s organization in Assam was first pointed out
by Anindita Devi, a social worker of Gouripur of Goalpara District.29
Through a
letter in a newspaper she expressed her concern for the absence of an all Assam
women’s organization. She appealed to the women of Assam to take interest in
the formation of such an organization for their own development. Anindita Devi
also expressed her opinion for establishing a link between the Women’s Indian
Association, formed in 1917 and the Assamese association.30
28. Aparna Basu and Bharati Roy, Women’s Struggle. 1990, p-1.
29. Dipti Sharma, Mukti Jujat Loitpuria Nari. 1995, p-51.
30. Sadiniya Asomiya. 24 June, 1923.
34
The first All India women’s conference was held in Poona on January 1927.
Although no representative from Assam attended the conference, the formation
of All India women’s conference indirectly contributed to making the idea of a
statewide women’s organization in Assam. Till 1925 there was no provincial
women’s organization in Assam. So the women of Assam used the platforms of
the Asom Sahitya Sabha for the upliftment of the position of women.31
In 1925,
the annual session of the Asom Sahitya Sabha was held at Nowgong where many
speakers emphasized the need for women’s education and right. In this meeting,
separate sitting arrangements were made for the women audience and the pandal
that was meant for the women to sit in was covered with bamboo net, so that the
male audience could not see them.32
Chandraprova Saikiani, a devoted social
worker, was a women representative at this meeting and she was hurt to see the
particular arrangement made for the women participants. She condemned the
whole arrangement and succeeded in getting the bamboo net barrier which was
made for the women audience removed. She electrified the minds of the women
audience and inspired them to raise their voice against the social injustice.
2.3 The All Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity :
Chandraprova Saikiani was the beaconing light behind the women’s
organizations in the state. It was under her aegis that the Assam Mahila Samity
was formed and developed. The Nowgong incident made Chandraprova realize
more seriously the need for an all Assam women’s organization and to create a
31. Dipti Sharma, op.cit, p-51.
32. Indira Miri, (ed.) Souvenir. APMS, 1975, p-11.
35
platform for agitation against social injustice. Realizing the importance of an all
Assam women organization, Chandraprova Saikiani called upon all women who
came to attend the Sahitya Sabha meeting, to assemble next day in the Nowgong
Sahitya Sabha pandal for a discussion on the formation of a state level women
organization.33
But the meeting was forcibly prevented by the conservative male
delegates. It made the women participants more determined and they arranged
the meeting on the same day in an open field. The meeting resolved to form an all
Assam Women organization at the next Sahitya Sabha session with the sole view
to protect, preserve and promote the rights of the women. The women participants
entrusted Chandraprova Saikiani with the task of making arrangement for the
formation of a provincial women organization.34
In 1926 the next session of Asom Sahitya Sabha was held in Dhubri, and
Chandraprova Saikiani was present at this meeting. In this meeting Chandraprova
Saikiani succeeded in sowing the seeds of an organized women’s movement in
Assam. In this session, the male members were co-operative and sympathetic to
their cause. Nagendranarayan Choudhury of Lakhipur, Bhuban Chandra Dutta,
the then police officer of Dhubri and Benudhar Rajkhowa, the President of the
session, encouraged Chandraprova Saikiani and other women representatives to
form a State level women organization.35
They themselves took the initiative to
hold a women’s meeting at the Bijni Hall of Dhubri for the purpose of forming of
a provincial women’s organization. Bhuban Chandra Dutta even used his own
vehicle to transport the women to Bijni Hall. By that time, though some
33. Chandraprova Saikiani (ed.) Mahila Samitir Itibritta. 1961, p-4.
34. Puspalata Das, Agnisnata Chandraprova. 1998, p-9.
35. Ibid, p-9.
36
progressive women like Chandraprova Saikiani, Swarnalata Saikia, Durgaprova
Bora and others had come to work for the development of women, it would have
been impossible for them to carry on any organising activity without male support,
because till then strong organizing capacities had not developed among Assamese
women. In fact even the Dhubri women’s meeting was possible owing to the
support received from the male delegates. Benudhar Rajkhowa, the President of
Dhubri session of Asom Sahitya Sabha had initiated and facilitated the meeting.36
Although the women participants at the Nowgong meeting had decided to form
a state level women’s organization, nothing concrete had evolved. The support
and inspiration of persons like Benudhar Rajkhowa, Nagendra Narayan
Choudhury and others helped in making the idea of forming a state level women
organization a reality. In a meeting under the presidentship of Benudhar Rajkhowa,
the Assam Mahila Samity was formed at Bijni Hall of Dhubri.37
Chandraprova
Saikiani was made the Secretary of the organization and she was given the
responsibility of co-ordinating the various Mahila Samities scattered all over
Assam. Chandraprova Saikiani appealed to the women of the state to form Mahila
Samities in their respective localities. Under her guidance, women workers
travelled from town to town, village to village and aroused the consciousness
among the woman in favour of forming Mahila Samity for their own development.
During the whole of 1927 Chandraprova Saikiani visited important towns and
villages and met local ladies and appealed them to form Mahila Samities in their
respective localities.38
In their organizational propaganda, Chandraprova Saikiani
36. Aparna Mahanta, Journey of Assamese Women 1836-1937, 2008, p-106.
37. Puspalata Das, Agnisnata Chandraprova. 1998, p-9.
38. Chandraprova Saikiani, (ed.) Mahila Samitir Itibritta. 1961, p-5.
37
and her co-workers had to face criticism from the general people. In fact till then
Assamese women were not at all visible in social and political activities and
therefore had to face criticism from the general people. Women in urban areas
however, ignored all such criticism and came forward to form Mahila Samities
in their respective localities. The contemporary growing nationalistic circles felt
the need for organizing women on a larger scale. So the Dhubri women’s meeting
got full support from the nationalistic public. Even the local Congress workers
felt the urgent necessity of an organized women’s association for the participation
in the freedom struggle and gave their support and approved of the formation of
Mahila Samities. Particularly after the Pandu Session of Indian National Congress
which held in December 1926, the local Congress Committees became
instrumental in organizing the local women to form Mahila Samities.39
Women
workers Guneswari Devi, Dwarike Kachari, Swarna Mahanta and Rajkumari
Mohini Gohain worked hard to mobilize rural women, several of whom had
initiated the establishment of rural Mahila Samities.40
Chandraprova Saikiani
travelled over the length and breadth of Assam with a view to organizing these
various Mahila Samities under a consortium to form the Assam Padeshik Mahila
Samity. In this way, the nucleus of the Assam Mahila Samity was formed in 1926
in Dhubri. Within three years from its inception in 1926, almost every town of
Assam had a branch of Assam Mahila Samity with a number of sub samities
under each of them.41
Assam Mahila Samity was the first well organized women’s
39. Aparna Mahanta, Journey of Assamese Women 1836-1937. 2008, p-107.
40. Devi Bhuyan, Tezpur District Mahila Samiti And Its Work with Women and Communities in
North East India. 2007, p-57.
41. Dipti Sharma, Mukti Jujat Loitpuria Nari. 1995, p-54.
38
association of Assam which worked for the improvement of the status of women
and for their well being.
Chandraprova Baruah, Sumitra Bhattacharya, Sachiprova Hazarika,
Swarnalata Saikia, Kamala Devi, Mazida Toyabulla, Durgaprova Bora,
Ghanakanti Phukanani, Shantipriya Hazarika, Dropadi Devi Kakati, P. Rosul,
Swarnalata Goswami, Bhuvaneswari Devi Goswami, (Gauhati), Sailyabala Devi
(Barpeta) Kiranmoyee Agarwala, Punyada Devi (Tezpur), Jugamaya Devi,
Kamalalaya Kakati, Kanaklata Chaliha (Sibsagar), Narayani Handique (Jorhat),
Lilayati Bordoloi (North Lakhimpur), Lakhipriya Barua (Golaghat), Mrinalini
Devi Goswami (Golaghat), Prafullabala Chaudhurani, Nilima Barua (Goalpara),
Swarnalata Dutta, Gyanadalata Duara, Jagyadalata Duara, Ratna Kumari
Rajkhowa (Dibrugarh) were the women who participated in the organizational
work of Assam Mahila Samity at the initial stage.42
Since 1926 the Assam
Pradeshik Mahila Samity had been coordinating and assisting the different Mahila
Samities, which collectively impacted Assamese society.
2.4 Objectives :
Generally, all voluntary organizations have come into existence with certain
objectives. Their aims and objectives are influenced by the historical, socio-
economic and cultural factors of the time and by the personalities and philosophies
of the founders. In the beginning, the AMS did not have any written constitution
and hence at the outset the objectives were not enlisted in any written document.
In the first session of AMS which was held in Goalpara in 1927, Secretary
42. Induprova Barua, (ed.) Souvenir. APMS, 1975, p-11.
39
Chandraprova Saikiani elaborated the aims and objectives of the apex body in
her Secretarial Report. Focussing on the objectives of Assam Mahila Samity, she
stated that the aim of AMS was to make women independent, austere in habits,
skilled in work and excellent in all spheres.43 For this purpose, she stressed on
the spread and development of women’s education. In fact at that time the main
focus of each and every women’s organization was women’s education. The Poona
conference of the AIWC which formed in 1927, had been named as the Women’s
Conference on Educational Reform. Though since nineteenth century reform
movement, the issue of women’s education had at the forefront, for the first time
women themselves began to take up the issue through their own forums. Like
AIWC of Bombay, the AMS adopted women’s education as one of the main
objectives in its agenda. Chandraprova Saikiani in her Secretarial Report also
referred to the other objectives of AMS as to take care of helpless widows and
orphans children and to provide help to needy women suffering from social
injustice.44
Further, she stated that the objectives of AMS were to make a woman
an efficient and skilled member of her own family and society, make her self
dependent, to make the Samity an intellectual forum where women could sit
together and deliberate their problems and find solutions for them. Basically, the
aims and objectives of AMS were mainly directed to women and children’s
welfare. They may be highlighted as below :
1. To make every woman of Assam physically strong and active and educate
them in all possible ways, so that they may become worthy citizens.
43. Aparna Mahanta, (ed.) Ghar Jeuti, 2008, p-97.
44. Ibid, p-99.
40
2. To fulfill that purpose the Samity decided.
a) To establish Mahila Samities all over the state for the purpose of
helping mothers to work collectively for all round child care.
b) To popularise women’s education and persuade the parents to send
their daughters to school.
c) To establish destitute homes (Anath Ashram) and model schools
(Adarsha Vidyalaya) in Assam.
d) To give shelter to the destitute women and give them all possible
help and to educate them.
e) To take care of orphans and make arrangement for their all round
development.
f) To provide financial aid to poor, ambitious and studious girls.
g) To establish training centres of weaving and spinning for the
economic independence of women and also for the promotion of
cottage industries.
h) To publish monthly magazines and journals for women.
i) To make arrangement for the publication of books of economically
weak women writers.
j) To take measures to remedy the difficulties and grievances of
women in general.45
45. Sadiniya Asomiya, 11 March, 1928.
41
3. To strive for the general improvement of the state of Assam.
4. To strive for the achievement of social progress.
5. To work for the establishment of national peace, amity, prosperity and
communal harmony.
In 1945 a written constitution was adopted for the association and its aims
and objectives were enlisted therein. Generally the aims and objectives of the
APMS are socio- cultural in nature and there is no political aim in the agenda.
2.5 The organizational Structure of the Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity
in Assam :
The Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity was able to come up with its branches
in various nooks and corners of the state within a very short period of time.
These branch committees maintained active contact with the Provincial
Committee by way of making annual contributions and sending delegates to the
Provincial Committee’s annual meetings. In fact from the very beginning the
Samity’s organizational set up was very strong and elaborate. It was based on a
democratic line. In the Samity’s annual conference at Dibrugarh in 1949, Sucheta
Kripalini termed the Samity as the largest democratic women’s organization in
the country.46
46. Chandraprova Saikiani, (ed.) Mahila Samitir Itibritta, 1961, pp-15-16.
42
Assam Pradeshik
Mahila Samity
District Level Mahila
Samity i.e. Tezpur
District Mahila Samity
Primary
Mahila Samity
The importance of organizational structure of any organization lies in the
fact that it determines the role and responsibilities of its different organs. Like
any other organizations of Society, Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity possesses
its own structure pattern. The Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity consists of a
committee of Pradeshik members, the Provincial Working Committee, the District
Mahila Samity and the Primary Mahila Samity.47
Since its formation, APMS has been maintaining an independent status. It is
a co-ordinating organization and it operates its functions all over the state. Its
district and primary branches are mostly set up by the local women to reap the
benefits of collective action. The Primary Mahila Samities are local level
organizations and operate at the local level on a small scale. Their operations are
confined only to their immediate locality, neighbourhood or village. District
â
â
47. Niyamayali, APMS, 1997, p-3.
43
branches of APMS, operate even large areas both in rural as well as urban areas.
The majority of the Mahila Samities in Assam are affiliated with the Assam
Pradeshik Mahila Samity. The representatives elected by the District Committees
to the Provincial Conference became the provincial members. The provincial
members have to pay Rs. 10 (ten) as membership fee. There is a category of
members called Life Member. By paying Rs. 500 any member may become a
Life Member of Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity.
2.5.1 Primary member and Primary Mahila Samity :
The membership of Primary Mahila Samity is open to all women irrespective
of their religion, caste and community. Any willing woman above the age of 18
can become the member of the Primary Samity. Each member has to pay a
membership fee. The elected executive body collects fees from the members
recording their signatures in the printed receipt books which are kept with the
Primary or District Mahila Samity. Annual donation can be received from the
members and its records are kept in the Donation Column of the receipt book.
The Primary Mahila Samities retain these donations. Without thirty members a
Primary Mahila Samity can not be formed and a Primary Mahila Samity can
cover two or three localities or a number of villages.48
District Mahila Samities
are empowered to form Primary Mahila Samities under their control. But in this
respect they have to follow the rules and regulations of Assam Pradeshik Mahila
Samity.
48. Niyamayali, APMS, 2009, p-5.
44
In a village panchayat there may be one or more branches of Mahila Samities
and they become a part of the District Mahila Samity. These Primary Mahila
Samities do elect their representatives to district Conference and sent their names
to District Samity. These elected representatives become the members of District
Mahila Samity. Some Primary Mahila Samities are amalgamated to form a regional
Mahila Samity if it considered necessary. The regional Samity cannot elect
representatives to the District Committee and cannot accord recognition to the
Primary Samity. The regional Mahila Samity remain affiliated to the Pradeshik
Mahila Samity until the District Mahila Samity is formed. But after the formation
of District Mahila Samity, the regional Mahila Samity comes under its direct
control.
The Primary Mahila Samity functions under the supervision of the District
Mahila Samity within its respective area. Every Primary Samity prepares a list of
members within its area and sends it to the Secretary of the District Committee.
The Primary Mahila Samity is to maintain a register, relating to its enrolment of
members, income, expenditure and an account of its all activities. The executive
body of Primary Mahila Samity and its functionaries are appointed at the general
meeting of the Primary Samity. In the appointment of office bearers, the Primary
Mahila Samity have to follow the rules and regulations of Assam Pradeshik Mahila
Samity. The Primary Samity invites the District Samity to its annual session which
held once in a year and submits the accounts of its activities before the District
Samity. Besides, its general conference held once in every three years.49
49. Niyamayali, APMS, 2009, p-6.
45
2.5.2 District Mahila Samity :
The District Mahila Samity is constituted district and sub-division wise.
Every District Mahila Samity is composed of the elected representatives of the
Primary Committee and the District Committee carry out its functions in the
entire sub-division. At least 40 (forty) members are required to form a District
Mahila Samity and all the District Mahila Samities are affiliated to the Assam
Pradeshik Mahila Samity.50
The District Mahila Samity carries out its functions
in its respective area under the control and supervision of the Assam Pradeshik
Mahila Samity. The District Samity is bound to furnish the reports of its works to
the Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity. The District Samity is empowered to shift
its head office with prior permission from the Provincial Working Committee.
Every District Mahila Samity consists of an executive body and a district
committee. Generally the district committee forms the executive body with 30
(thirty) members. Every member of District Mahila Samity has to pay a fixed
amount as membership fee. Of course the membership fee may be different district
wise. According to the procedure of Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity, the District
Mahila Samity is empowered to determine the membership fee.
Every Primary Mahila Samity has to pay an affiliation fee to the District
Mahila Samity. If the affiliation certificate is lost, fee will have to be paid by the
particular Primary Committee for a new one. According to the constitution of the
Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity, every District Mahila Samity is bound to follow
the roles and regulations of APMS. The Pradeshik Mahila Samity withdraws its
50. Niyamayali, APMS, 2009, p-7.
46
recognition from District Samity if it fails to follow the terms and conditions of
APMS and constitutes a separate committee in that particular District. Like the
Primary Samity, the general meeting of District Mahila Samity is held once in
three years and the elected members of the general meeting become the members
of the District Committee. There are 25 (twenty five) District Mahila Samities
under the Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity.51
They are -
1. Dibrugarh District Mahila Samity
2. Sibsagar District Mahila Samity
3. Tinsukia District Mahila Samity
4. Golaghat District Mahila Samity
5. Jorhat District Mahila Samity
6. Darrang District Mahila Samity
7. Nowgong District Mahila Samity
8. Morigaon District Mahila Samity
9. Gauhati District Mahila Samity
10. Tezpur District Mahila Samity
11. North Lakhimpur District Mahila Samity
12. Dhemaji District Mahila Samity
13. Majuli District Mahila Samity
14. Nalbari District Mahila Samity
51. Niyamayali, APMS, 2009, pp-8-9.
47
15. Barpeta District Mahila Samity
16. Goalpara District Mahila Samity
17. Dhubri District Mahila Samity
18. Kokrajhar District Mahila Samity
19. Halflong District Mahila Samity
20. Karbi Anglong District Mahila Samity
21. Biswanath Chariali District Mahila Samity
22. Rangia District Mahila Samity
23. Nazira District Mahila Samity
24. Karimganj District Mahila Samity
25. Silchar District Mahila Samity
2.5.3 The Provincial Working Committee :
There is an executive Committee termed as the Provincial Working
Committee. The Provincial Working Committee comprises of an Advisory
Committee with a President, a Working President, a Vice President (numbers
may increase according to necessity), a General Secretary, two Joint Secretaries,
two Joint Assistant General Secretaries and a Treasurer. The Provincial Working
Committee acts as a core group for managing the affairs of the Samity. Normally
all the functions of the Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity are carried out by the
Provincial Working Committee. All important matters are decided at the meeting
of Provincial Working Committee and all resolutions adopted at the meeting of
the Working Committee are binding upon all the District Committees. As per
procedures of Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity the Provincial Working Committee
is empowered to invite special persons to its meetings. The Working Committee
meets once in a calender year. If required, the Working Committee may have
more sessions. It has been found that on an average, there are more married
members in the Executive Committee than unmarried members.
The Head office of the Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity has some other
ranks of office bearers and functionaries also. These office bearers are designated
with various titles as Office Secretary (with allowance), Auditor (Internal)
Accountant (with allowance), office Assistant and Typist (with allowance and
the Chowkider, male or female (paid).52
These office bearers are generally selected
and they need not necessarily be members of Working Committee.
The sub-committees are -
1. Publicity
2. Education
3. Public Health
4. Cottage Industries and
5. Library
6. Child Welfare
7. International Relations
8. Open Forums
48
52. Niyamayali, APMS, 2009, p-13.
The President plays the pivotal role in the affairs of the Samity. The success
of the Samity depends on the President to a large extent. The President is the
authorized person to tackle any problem on a crucial occasion in consultation
with the Working President, Vice President and with the Principal Secretaries.
The Assistant Secretaries perform their duties as per the suggestions of the
Principal Secretaries. The Principal Secretaries and the Assistant Secretaries keep
close contact with the District Committees and prepare reports accordingly. The
Assistant Secretary prepares the annual budget with the help of the Treasurer.
Normally the President presides over the executive meeting of APMS. In
absence of the President, the Working President or the Vice President presides
over the meeting. In absence of both, the Working Committee may elect a President
for the same. The open session of APMS held every three years in a village or a
town and a district committee takes all responsibilities for the session and make
all necessary arrangement accordingly. The open session of APMS is known as
‘The Conference.’53 In whichever district the conference is held, that particular
district bears all the expenditure in connection with the reception. Moreover,
other districts also have to offer their financial aid to the Conference. All the
members of the Provincial Working Committee represent the Conference. Besides,
the District Committee nominates some delegates to the Conference and they are
entitled to caste their vote in the conference. The nominated delegates have to
pay fees as fixed by the Reception Committee of the Conference. Moreover, all
the District committees have to pay an annual contribution to APMS and if any
49
53. Constitution, APMS, 1990, p-14.
District Committee fails to pay its annual contribution to Pradeshik Samity then
the members of that particular District Samity cannot exercise their voting power
in the proceedings of the conference. Members, President, Vice President and
Treasurer of the Provincial Working Committee are elected in the conference.
The invited audience may speak on any resolution adopted in the conference, but
they cannot vote. Exhibitions and seminars may be arranged in the conference.
The President for the conference may be from Assam or may be invited from any
other state.
The Head office of APMS is located in Gauhati. According to the constitution
of APMS, Gauhati is the gateway and central place of Assam and hence the Head
office of APMS will be located in Gauhati.54
The constitution of APMS can be
amended. The Provincial Working Committee can suggest and propose
amendments to any part of the constitution after much deliberations but the
amendments will come into effect only after they have been approved in the
conference.
2.6 Finance :
In order to function effectively, finance is of utmost importance. Without
sufficient funds voluntary organizations cannot carry out their proposed
programmes and often shortage of funds even compels organizations to close
down. In the past voluntary organizations got donations from the community.
G.R. Madan observes : “In the past the voluntary welfare agencies in this country
54. Constitution, APMS, 1990, p-3.
50
have been depending on the charity raised from a few wealthy people and
government assistance has been negligible.”55
Of course in this case the donors
sometimes dictate their own terms for using the money for specific purposes or
meeting the needs of a particular community. At times, the persons who formed
the voluntary agency, themselves contributed to meet the expenses of the agency.
During colonial period, voluntary organizations received a large part of their
financial reserves from the community. Wealthy persons and philanthropists also
contributed to the finance of the voluntary welfare agencies. After independence
the government assumed programmes of granting financial aid to the voluntary
organizations working in different fields for welfare of people. In the present
study efforts have been made to know some aspects of the income of APMS.
Data were collected from the association and from its district and primary branches
regarding their sources of income and methods used for mobilizing funds.
In the beginning the Mahila Samity was wholly dependent on donations
received from the public.56
Women workers and well wishers of Assam Mahila
Samity collected donations from different sources to make Mahila Samity solvent.
The Secretary’s Report in the first conference of Mahila Samity held in Goalpara
in 1927, stated that a well wisher of Calcutta (name was not mentioned) sent a
book of printed receipts in the name of Mahila Samity with which the fund raising
process was started.57
Even members of Asom Sahitya Sabha, wives, daughters
or sisters of Congress workers and youth workers helped Mahila Samity in fund
55. G.R. Madan, Indian Social Problem, Vol.-II, 1991, p-404.
56. Aparna Mahanta, Journey of Assamese Women 1836-1937, 2008, p-108.
57. Aparna Mahanta, (ed.) Ghar Jeuti, 2008, p-94.
51
collection. In Shillong Padmayati Hazarika, in Gauhati Chandraprova Saikiani,
in Goalpara Umacharan Choudhury, in Tezpur Dayalchandra Bhuyan, in Jorhat
Narayani Handique and in Sibsagar Kamalalaya Kakati collected donations for
the Mahila Samity.
After independence, the Samity adopted some specific policies regarding
fund collection. The sources of income of APMS may be divided into two parts
namely, own sources and external sources. Under the category of “own sources’’,
APMS collects funds from memberships fee, donations, from rent and sale of
produce, prize money from various competitions etc. In the category of “external
sources”, APMS collects funds from government grants, receives aid from
international or foreign agencies. Sometimes it takes loans from various banks
and government and non-government agencies.
In raising funds APMS uses different methods depending upon the
circumstances. Membership fees, donations and sale of produce are the most
common sources of funds of Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity. But it is learnt
from investigations that subscriptions made by its members form a small part of
the total income of the Samity. It generates funds by selling different articles
produced by them and this greatly contributes to the total income of the
organization. The members of the Samity sell different types of handloom and
handicraft products like gamocha, mekhela and chadar, embroidered and knitted
garments, processed food, decorative objects through informal channels.
Some primary and district branches of APMS have their own sales outlets.
They also participate in different exhibitions organized within and outside the
52
states to sell their products and thereby contribute to the finance of their
organization. Another way of enhancing the income is by providing vocational
training in different trades like cutting, knitting, tailoring, embroidering, weaving,
type writing and mushrooms cultivation and earning money in the form of service
charges. At the time of festivals like Bihu and Puja, APMS and its branches
undertake different types of fund raising endeavours. They organize cultural
programmes, drama shows and exhibitions and thereby collect funds for
implementing their programmes.The members of APMS and its branches
participate in different cultural competitions organized by different organizations
and the prize money contributes to their organizational income.
APMS strengthens its finance through donation as well. The Samity receives
donations both in cash and kind. It has been found that APMS receives financial
assistance in the form of grants from different government agencies like Central
Social Welfare Board, Assam State Social Welfare Board, District Industrial
Department and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. These grants are received
by the Samity for implementing their programmes in different Welfare fields.
The grants received from the government and other non government agencies
are the major source of fund of the Samity. The head office of APMS is located
on donated land. On the request of Dr. Bhubaneswar Baruah and some other
Social workers, Mahila Samity got the land as the donation from the government.58
Under the aegis of the then Chief Minister Bimala Prasad Chaliha, the Samity
received a financial aid of Rs. 25,000 from the government of Assam in 1958.59
58. Ranu Baruah & Jaylakshmi Bora, (ed.) Smritigrantha, Padmashree Chandraprova Saikiani
Janma Satbarsikee, 2002, p-66.
59. Chandraprova Saikiani, (ed.) Mahila Samitir Itibritta. 1961, p-23.
53
The amount of government aid in the next year was Rs. 20,000.60 These two
were the biggest government grants received by the Samity upto that time. During
the tenure of Gopinath Bordoloi as the Chief Minister of Assam in 1948, the
Samity was in receipt of grants of Rs. 10,000/- from the government and Rs.
5000/- from the Governor’s fund.61
During Bishnu Ram Medhi’s time also, the
Samity received Rs. 15,000/- from the Assam Social Welfare Board and the District
Industrial Department respectively. The Samity used this money to set up a Harijan
school and a weaving centre in Gauhati. With the grant received during the tenure
of Bimala Prasad Chaliha, the Samity had offered financial assistance to various
District and village development centres. In 1954, the Central Social Welfare
Board was established. The Samity received a grant of Rs. 5000/- from the Board
when Durgabai Deshmukh was its chairperson. In 1959, the Samity received a
one time grant of Rs. 5000/- from Central Home Minister Govind Balav Pant’s
fund to pursue welfare activities among women and children.62
The Samity had
thus been receiving financial grants from the government and from the various
government organizations.
The APMS have received a variety of books and furniture as donation for its
library. APMS also receives monetary donations from individuals. Kanaklata
Barua, a social activist and member of Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samity donated
Rs. 1000 to the Samity.63
The women’s hostel of APMS was completed by the
donation of Rs. 5 lakhs from Monmohan Singh, then Member of Parliament
60. Chandraprova Saikiani, (ed.) Mahila Samitir Itibritta. 1961, p-22.
61. Ibid, p-23.
62. Ibid, p-24.
63. Smarakgrantha, APMS, 1985, p-40.
54
from his M.P. fund.64
Social worker Shubrata Baruah donated a room in the name
of her mother, late Pratibha Baruah, and grand mother, late Bhuvaneswari Devi,
for the primary school of APMS.65
In 1979 the Samity received Rs. 44,000 as
financial aid from A.C.W.W.66
With this grant, APMS implemented some special
schemes like establishment of child development centres in Gauhati and Diphu
and supply of drinking water in the rural areas of Golaghat and Nalbari.
Thus it is clear that APMS collects funds from different sources to strengthen
its finance. The association also maintains an organized financial administration.
The entire fund collected by the Samity is deposited in a nationalised bank under
the joint signatures of either the President or the Secretary and the Treasurer.
Generally, the Treasurer maintains accounts of receipts and expenditure. The
Treasurer obtains different expenditure and issue receipts. The Secretaries of the
Samity prepare a yearly budget and submit it at the Working Committee. Besides
the Secretaries have to inform the Working Committee about the allotted sum in
the budget before they incur its expenditure. The Working Committee is bound
to accord its sanction to the expenditure earmarked in the budget. The budget
amount can be withdrawn from the bank under the joint signatures of the Treasurer
and the President or either of the two Secretaries.
64. Presidential Report, Assam Pradeshik Mahila Samitir 70th session, Mangoldoi, 16th Oct.,
2000, p-4.
65. Ibid, pp-4-5.
66. Debala Hazarika & Runu Barua, (ed.) Smarakgrantha, APMS, 1985, p-21.
55