THE 15th central conference of Tribal Youth Federation (an affiliate of Democratic Youth Federation of India) was held from January 11-13, in Khowai. 

The conference started with an impressive public meeting at the Khowai Government HS school ground. It was addressed by Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, DYFI state secretary Amal Chakraborty, TYF general secretary Amalendu Debbarma and CEM of TTAADC, Radhacharan Debbarma. The meeting was chaired by TYF president Rajendra Reang.

Manik Sarkar, in his speech, had severely criticised the move of demonetisation.  Terming it a hasty move, he said the central government has taken this step without any preparation and created hardships for crores of people.  None of the stated objectives of demonetisation have yet been achieved while more than hundred persons, mostly peasants, workers, small businessmen have died standing in queues. He said, the move is actually a ploy to legalise the black money. Has anyone heard of any corporate tycoon who has died? Now as people are questioning the real motive behind the move, the government has suddenly started advocating cashless economy. But a country like ours which lacks adequate infrastructure cannot afford to go cashless all of a sudden.

Manik Sarkar said, the wages are shrinking and prices of essential commodities are on the rise. Unemployment is increasing. More farmers are committing suicide as the agrarian crisis is deepening.  The government is reluctant to take any steps to solve these problems;  rather they are trying to reduce the allocations in MNREGA, ICDS, tribal welfare,  SC welfare, rural development. Leave alone bringing back black money,  they are not even ready to disclose the names of those who have stashed black money in overseas accounts,  nor are they ready to recover the huge 11 lakh crores of rupees of unpaid loans taken by the big corporate houses. People in the country are uniting in protest against the policies of the government. The participation of 16-18 crore people in the last general strike on September 2 is a testimony of people's anger. So to break this unity, conspiracy to create communal tension and create communal polarisation is afoot.

Criticising the opposition parties in the state, Manik Sarkar said, the BJP, TMC, IPFT and the INPT have never raised their voice for the development of the state. On the contrary they are conspiring so that the state doesn't get its due share from the centre. At the same time conspiracy is afoot to harm the communal and ethnic amity in the state.

Radhacharan Debbarma strongly criticised the Modi government for increasing burdens on people and for not fulfilling the promise of creating two crore jobs per year. The divisive forces inside the state including the IPFT are joining hands with the BJP.

DYFI state secretary Amal Chakraborty called for uniting the youth under the banner of DYFI and TYF to meet the challenges facing the youth and for forming eighth Left Front government in 2018. TYF general secretary Amalendu Debbarma stressed on bringing in new young people to the organisation.

Inaugurating the delegate session of the conference, Manik Sarkar stressed on sharpening the ideological struggle and galvanising the organisation. He said the TYF has to intensify the struggle against the efforts of communal polarisation,  authoritarian trends of the ruling sections in the centre, against  the divisive conspiracy to disturb peace,  unity,  democracy and development in the state and for projecting the alternative path of the Left.

Speaking to the delegates, DYFI all India president MB Rajesh said, the two and half years of Modi government have increased the burden on the peasants, workers, SCs, tribal, youth, women and all the vulnerable sections of the society. Demonetisation has rendered lakhs of people jobless. If the PM was so sincere about bringing back black money, why didn't he disclose the names of those who have stashed illegal property in offshore accounts? It is a carpet bombing on the poor to save the rich. Only in the last one year, 1.35 crores of people have registered in employment exchanges while merely 1.35 lakhs have got jobs. He said, the RSS style Hindu rashtra does not recognise the existence of SCs and STs. They are hell bent on destroying the linguistic, cultural, ethnic and religious plurality of India. On the contrary the Left Front government of Tripura has brought back peace, withdrawn AFSPA, and ensured an atmosphere where development and job creation is possible.  This alternative path shown by Tripura should be showcased as precedence all over the country. 

TTAADC chairman Ranjit Debbarma, TTAADC CEM Radhacharan Debbarma, CPI(M) Khowai district secretary Biswajit Datta and others too greeted the conference.

A total of 31 delegates participated in the discussions on the draft political and organisational report placed by Amalendu Debbarma.

The delegates stressed on building up a strong, vigilant organisation. They spoke of the necessity to unite the people, especially the youth against the communal and divisive tactics of both the right wing Hindutva forces led by the RSS and the tribal chauvinistic, anarchist forces led by IPFT.

The conference adopted the report unanimously. It adopted a number of resolutions, an amendment to the constitution of the organisation and a 15 point charter of demands on which the organisation will build up sustained movements. It resolved to intensify struggle for strengthening unity, against all the divisive forces, to eradicate the superstitions and against gambling and addiction and at the same time fighting for the due rights of the state and start political organisational preparation for formation of eighth Left Front government.

The conference elected a new central committee comprising 103 members with 45 new people. Rajendra Reang and Amalendu Debbarma have been reelected president and general secretary respectively.