Why should women still be termed ``helpless'' was the dominant note throughout the inaugural session of the fourth state level convention of the Akhil Bharatiya Janawadi Mahila Sanghatana organised at Kasturba Hall on Friday. If it was Naina Jogani who was raped by Jain sadhus in Rajasthan vowing to fight for the exploited lot, then Vrinda Karat, Janawadi general secretary's too refused to budge from the ``uncompromising'' stand in their struggle towards emancipation of women.

``Prior to India's independence it was easy to fight the battle as we could identify our enemy. It was easier to shoot the British, but 50 years post-independence every second, every minute, every hour we are confronted with so many problems that there seems to be no solution in sight. Our struggle has to continue,'' Sehgal, who was a close associate of Subashchandra Bose and headed the Rani Laxmi Regiment exhorted the audience.

She lashed out against exploitation done under the garb of development, whether it was an Enron or multi-national companies setting up a harbour and displacing fishermen of their livelihood. "We are only vote banks," Sehgal derided coming down heavily upon the ``dictatorial'' alliance government which had no solution for the farmers and wage labourers' grievances.

Sehgal sought to dispel doubts that Communism was dead and the movement had failed. In fact the condition of women in such countries which claim that Communism has failed has worsened. At least women were assured jobs and a day's meal under communist governments. Today they have no work so they sell their bodies, Sehgal rued.

"Netaji had cautioned then to prepare for war against America, as economic imperialism was more dangerous than political slavery," Sehgal reminisced urging women to come forward and fight unitedly for their rights. Vrinda Karat, General Secretary of the organisation in a fiery speech lashed out against the RSS which has always opposed the concept of equality for women, reservations for women and upheld outdated traditions like Sati.

In her presidential speech, Ahilya Rangnekar, State level president of the organisation stressed that the state government should take up the responsibility for rehabilitating rape victims.

Freedom fighter Kusum Randive, activist Dr. Sulabha Brahme, Shanta Kelkar and Kalini Deshpande were felicitated. Shobha Shamim, joint secretary of the Pune unit coordinated the function.