People's Democracy

DYFI Maharashtra Unit Holds State Conference

THE Maharashtra unit of DYFI organised its seventh state conference in November at Adarsh Vidyalaya, Chembur, Mumbai. Former Supreme Court Judge Justice P B Sawant inaugurated the conference. Tracing the origins of progressive youth movement to the days of our freedom struggle, Justice Sawant pointed out that the young men and women who fought the British never thought that freedom would dawn during their lifetimes. They had understood the protracted nature of the struggle. Still they joined the struggle with the supreme sense of sacrifice and courage. Thousands of young men and women went to jail, many of them were sent to the gallows, their families were destroyed. But the struggle continued relentlessly till the British were ousted from India. The peasantry, working class, women, youth and students consolidated the secular unity of the country in the freedom struggle.

Barring communal forces like RSS and Hindu Mahasabha, entire Indian society had joined the freedom struggle. But the leadership of the movement, once they assumed power in 1947, shamelessly betrayed the people. The constitution promised a sovereign, secular, socialist republic but the direction which the Indian state pursued was opposed to these lofty proclamations. The economy and polity developed by the anti-people ruling class will not solve any of the burning issues of the Indian youth. The democratic youth movement has to uphold the ideal of socialism in fighting for the fulfillment of the democratic aspirations of the young generations, said Justice Sawant. The conference had a colourful beginning on November 3. DYFI state president Vijay Patil hoisted the flag and delegates paid floral tributes at the martyr’s column. The inaugural session was
addressed by Ashok Dhawle, CPI (M) state secretary, K L Bajaj, state president, CITU Maharashtra, Mahendra Singh, CPI(M) state secretariat member and Mariam Dhawle, state secretary AIDWA. DYFI state president Vijay Patil and state secretary Shailendra Kamble also spoke.

A massive public meeting took place at Bhandup on November 3 evening. DYFI’s all India president K.N. Balagopal, Prabhakar Sanzgiri, Mohammad Salim M.P, Ashok Dhawle, Madan Naik, Arun Latkar, Shailendra Kamble, Vijay Patil and Akash Bagul spoke at the public meeting. Sanzgiri in his speech exhorted the youth to build a vibrant movement against imperialism and capitalism. Apart from Mumbai, DYFI cadre from Nashik, Thane and Raigad districts also gathered for the public meeting in large numbers.

The conference elected a presidium consisting of Vijay Patil, Dhondiba Kharate and Bhavana Mahatre to conduct the proceedings. State secretary Shailendra Kamble placed the report of activities and organisational report of the last 3 years. 

Several agitations were undertaken in this period against corruption, against atrocities on dalits, petrol diesel price hike, fee hike in higher education etc. Several campaigns against US imperialism were undertaken on various occasions.At the district levels, DYFI conducted several struggles on local issues and organised sports and cultural programmes.

DYFI membership figures in the last 4 years are as follows: -

Year         Membership         Increase         % of increase

2002             74,337                 4028                         5.41

2003             80,607                 6270                         7.77

2004             83,177                 2510                         3.01

2005             92,400                 9283                        10.04

67 Delegates took part in the discussion on the report which was adopted unanimously.

Later state committee treasurer Ashok Pawar presented the accounts for 2003-2006 period. The conference adopted resolutions in support of peasants’ struggle against land grabbing in the name of SEZs, for 33 per cent reservation for women in legislative bodies, against government policies resulting in massive unemployment, for quick implementation of forest rights bill, for proper implementation of National Common Minimum Programme, for reservation in jobs and education, against consumerism, against commercialisation of education, for strict implementation of law against atrocities on dalits and in defence of secularism. 

The concluding session began with felicitation of erstwhile leaders of DYFI. Dr Ashok Dhawle, Mahendra Singh, Raju Paranjpe, S K Rege and Ramesh Thakur were felicitated by Tapas Sinha, national secretary of DYFI. Prabhakar Sanzgiri, senior leader of CPI(M) and CITU, was also felicitated at the function. Later, state secretary Shailendra Kamble spoke in response to the discussion on the report and it was adopted unanimously. A new 41-member state committee was also elected unanimously. The new state committee, which met immediately, elected an 11 member secretariat consisting of Vijay Patil (president), Shailendra Kamble (secretary), Ashok Pawar(Mumbai), Bhagwan Bhojne(Aurangabad), Gyandev Taide(Buldana), Ramesh Kurhada, Bhavana Mhatre, Gondu Pawar(Thane) Jagdeesh Tandel(Raigad), Vijay Patil(Nashik) and Kishore Mehta(Solapur). The conference came to an end with the concluding address by Tapas Sinha, national secretary. In his speech, he outlined the immense possibilities before the democratic youth movement in Maharashtra and called upon the delegates to build an organisation that will always be active among the people.