THE 15th Tripura state conference of the DYFI was held at Agartala Town Hall. Inaugurating the conference on May 4, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and former youth leader Manik Sarkar gave the call for:- resisting robbery of the people’s mandate to protect democracy; exposing the deceptions that the ruling BJP resorted to in order to rule the nation as well as the state; rousing the people against the onslaughts on their livelihood inflicted by the government; frustrating the communal agenda of the RSS-backed BJP in their aggressive drive to create a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ undermining secular fabrics of our Constitution. 

Prior to his inaugural speech, flag hoisting and paying of homage to the martyrs’ column were held in front of the conference venue. The DYFI flag was hoisted by its state president Palash Bhowmik, followed by paying floral tributes to the martyrs’ column. The inaugural function of the conference was attended by, among others, DYFI all-India president, A A Rahim and general secretary, Abhoy Mukherjee.

Explaining the prevailing chaotic political, economic and social situation in the country and the state, Manik Sarkar said the people are furious with the ruling BJP. They are coming out on the streets in bigger numbers in protest. To silence the roar of protest, and any dissenting voice, the BJP-led government is enacting one after other draconian laws. Apart from opposition leaders, honest and patriotic people having a nationwide reputation for their contributions in various disciplines are being targeted and harassed using these laws. 

Coming to the issues before the youth, Sarkar said unemployment is certainly the core issue. You will carry on the struggle against abolition of posts, against handing over government properties to corporate barons and raise the demand for filling up vacant posts. You have plunged into action during the pandemic, or natural disasters, conduct blood donation camps, etc. But, at the present juncture, the more important and robust duty that appears before you is to resist the attack on democracy, secularism and the federal structure of the country, and the denial of constitutional rights. You must show unbeatable courage, and ironic determination to confront the enemies of democracy. This is a patriotic duty to be accomplished jointly by the DYFI, TYF and other democratic forces. The secular democratic forces of the country are eagerly waiting to witness your achievements in this regard, the former chief minister said.

ISSUES RAISED BY DELEGATES

A total of 407 delegates, including 43 women, attended the conference representing 23 sub-divisional committees. In the second session, DYFI state secretary, Nabarun Deb presented the political-organisational report. A total of 32 delegates, including six women, took part in the discussion on the report. Most of the delegates vividly depicted the unforeseen terror let loose by the ruling BJP miscreants from day one of their regimes. The ruling party miscreants having a free hand to do whatever they wish caused deterioration of the general law and order situation to an extent that killings, kidnappings, theft, suicide, hooliganism and domestic violence rose alarmingly. They reported that serious crises of food and work and scarcity of drinking water are prevalent in the hills and plains. Rampant corruption in MGNREGA works, collection of bribes for getting instalments under the PMAY scheme by local leaders, collapsing communications with damaged village roads, disruptive supply of power, etc., were reported by the delegates. More importantly, the delegates reported that a large number of state youths are going to be ruined due to drug addiction. The delegates also highlighted the ruling party’s intentional drive to break the unity of the society through-provoking religious hatred.     

On the second day of the conference, CPI(M) Tripura state secretary, Jitendra Chowdhury congratulated the delegates and said during the 50 months of the BJP regime, there is not a single step that the government has taken for the well-being of the people. In contrast, they ruined the democratic practice of the state and created a suffocating atmosphere by unleashing the worst type of terror. The leftists, particularly the youth, have to rescue the state from ruinous effects -- economic, social and political.   

Abhoy Mukherjee said when the country is in crisis, no state can escape its impact. Explaining the dangerous features of the RSS-backed BJP’s religious jingoism, he said the perpetrators of terror should not be taken as untouchables. Most of them are the victims of an exploiting society and are being used by political leaders as pawns to commit mischief against the opposition. They must be persuaded and won over with logic and reasons. For this task, close relations with the masses must be maintained, he suggested.  

A A Rahim said for a long period, Tripura was the source of inspiration before the Left and democratic movement of the country. Tripura could successfully tackle the insurgency, though at the cost of the martyrdom of many of our comrades. The pro-people initiatives of the former Left Front government were highly admired by the people throughout the country. Referring to the unemployment situation of the country, Rahim quoted a CMIE report that says unemployment in the country at present is 7.9 per cent, which is an all-time high. In Tripura, it is almost double the national average, i.e., 14 per cent. The report says, every day, 23 youth kill themselves out of frustration of joblessness. During 2018-20, 25,231 youths committed suicide being hopeless of searching job, whereas the government admits in Rajya Sabha that there are 60 lakh posts lying vacant in government departments. He hoped the youth of Tripura shall contribute their might in the nationwide struggle of the youth to avert the destructive drive of the BJP. 

The resolutions passed in the conference were: Strengthen and widen tribal-nontribal democratic unity; Carry on a sustained struggle against imperialism, the enemy of world humanity; Intensify the struggle for the restoration of democracy and rule of law in the state; Carry on the relentless struggle for employment of the jobless youths.  

After the conclusion of the conference, the newly elected president and secretary in a press meeting explained the roadmap of the movement adopted at the conference. The nationwide struggle for employment led by the DYFI will continue in Tripura with more vigour. The DYFI will not confine its task only to the issues related to the youth, but it will also plunge into action against all types of onslaughts on any section of the people. The DYFI will launch a struggle for mounting pressure for the implementation of all the promises made in the ‘Vision Document’ of the BJP. The DYFI will carry out a social awareness programme to rescue a large section of state youth from drug addiction and moral degeneration.  

In the last session, an 85-member new state committee having 16 women was elected unanimously. In the new state committee, 50 were inducted afresh. The new state committee, in its first meeting, elected a 20-member state secretariat which re-elected Palash Bhowmik and Nabarun Deb as president and secretary, respectively.