People's Democracy

Youth Protest Job-Killer Circular

ON the call of the central executive committee of the Democratic Youth Federation of India, a massive dharna was organised at parliament street in New Delhi on February 23. The day-long dharna was held demanding the immediate withdrawal of the job killing circular issued by the government of India’s Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure on November 23, 2005. This circular has categorically stated the government’s intention to keep the ongoing ban on recruitment in place and further ordered that, "Every Ministry/Department shall undertake a review of all the posts lying vacant for more than six months, so as to ask for ensuring 10 per cent cut in posts." A delegation of the youth met the prime minister and submitted a memorandum DYFI feels that the problem of unemployment would further worsen with this circular. The youth had protested all over the country by organising 24-hour dharnas at all district headquarters. The DYFI is determined to carry forward and intensify this struggle.

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and MP, Sitaram Yechury inaugurated the dharna. Addressing the dharna he said that to keep the UPA government on track, the youth which constitutes the majority of our population will have to keep a strict vigil and pressurise this government to implement pro-people, pro-youth policies. He criticised the government's move and said that the UPA government must abide by the CMP. Hannan Mollah, MP and Nilotpal Basu, MP also addressed the youth expressing solidarity with them and criticised the clandestine move of the government. DYFI’s general secretary Tapas Sinha while addressing the dharna warned the UPA government and said that if they do not reverse the policies of the erstwhile BJP led NDA government then they would also face the same fate. He appealed to the youth to intensify and spread this movement for employment in the coming days.

DYFI president K N Balagopal presided over the meeting. He strongly criticised the government move and explained the dangers facing the youth in the wake of the release of this circular. Editor of Youth Stream, Pushpendra Tyagi, Maharastra state secretary Shailendra Kamble, Punjab state secretary Ashanand, Haryana state secretary Dinesh, Haryana state president Prem Chand, CEC member M B Bharthruhari also addressed the dharna. Ajay Kumar secretary of Delhi state committee delivered the welcome speech. (INN)