Mangaluru — A wave of solidarity and resolve swept through the Bishop Jathanna Auditorium in Balmatta, as the Dakshina Kannada District Conference of the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) unfolded with passion and purpose.
The event began with district president Jayanti B Shetty raising the flag, followed by a warm welcome from theatre personality and reception chair, Geetha Suratkal. Esteemed academic and writer Sabita Bannady Nagari delivered the keynote, calling for secularism, equality, and justice to anchor societal progress.
Influential voices graced the stage—poet Chandrakala Nandavar, AIDWA state secretary Devi, and welcome committee head Flavy Crasta among them. Leaders such as K S Lakshmi, Bharti Bolara, and Shameema Bhanu also addressed the assembly, urging resistance to communalism and greater focus on women’s rights and safety.
The conference adopted key resolutions. One demanded an SIT probe into the suspicious deaths of Padmalatha, Sowjanya, Vedavalli, and Yamuna—cases long clouded in delay. Another called on the government to expand public bus services so more women benefit from the Shakti Yojana’s free travel scheme. A third resolution pressed for tighter law enforcement and safer environments for women, in light of rising gender violence.
Post-lunch, a new district leadership committee was unanimously elected, signifying fresh direction and unity in the movement.
Amid societal unrest, AIDWA’s gathering served as a bold call to defend democratic and secular ideals—through collective strength.