People's Democracy

Assam: DYFI Holds State Conference

Nayan Bhayan

THE Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) held its 11th Assam state conference in Silchar city of Cachar district in the Barak valley on May 3, 4 and 5, 2013. While the venue of the conference was named after late Dr Captain Lakshmi Sehgal, The conference stage was named after Comrade Naren Basumatary, former DYFI state secretariat member who died of cancer on June 11, 2011, at a young age of 40. On May 3, an open rally was organised in the Bipin Chandra Paul playground where the chief minister of Tripura, Manik Sarkar, was the main speaker.

In his address, Manik Sarkar explained at length the anti-people policies of the central government and urged for a broader democratic movement in defence of the life and livelihood of the people of our country. He said the central government had failed in every field. The prices of essential commodities are sky-rocketing, corruption has broken all previous records, people are being denied of their basic democratic rights. Moreover, when people raise their voices the central government refuses to listen to them. He also appealed to the people of the state of Assam to judge the performance of the Tarun Gogoi led government in the state. Manik Sarkar said the state of Assam is the gateway to the North East. From the point of resources the state of Assam is the richest. But it is unfortunate that now Tripura is supplying electricity to Assam. He also lamented that people have now started to submit memorandums to “Manik Sarkar” in order to get their grievances addressed and redressed! This shows how the Congress led government in Assam is turning a deaf ear to the people’s grievances. This is the character of the Congress through the country. The party is out and out anti-people in nature.

Sarkar also criticised the successive central government’s step-motherly attitude towards the region. “The people of this region will have to fight united against the injustices of the central government to make India’s North East prosperous, and in this fight the people of Assam will have to take a leading role,” he added.

The open rally was addressed by the DYFI’s all-India leaders like its general secretary Avoy Mukherjee and vice president Tapas Dutta, its Tripura state secretary Amal Chakravorty, the DYFI’s founder state secretary and currently the CPI(M)’s Assam state secretary Uddhab Barman, DYFI Assam state secretary Nayan Bhuyan and DYFI Cachar district secretary Abhijit Gupta also. The meeting was presided over by DYFI state president Pearul Islam.

Before the open rally the organisation’s flag was hoisted by state president Pearul Islam at the Gandhi Bhawan premises. Tributes to the martyrs were paid by the general secretary Avoy Mukherjee, the conference delegates and members of the reception committee. The rallyists then took out a huge procession through the main streets of the city. Braving a very bad weather and continuous rain for the past few days, more than five thousand people gathered in the rally which was in a way quite impressive in the valley. Here Avoy Mukherjee narrated the DYFI’s history of struggles and sacrifices, and also dealt at length with the present situation in West Bengal where its cadres are facing atrocities and threats everyday after the so-called ‘Parivorton,’ adding that the people of West Bengal are now realising the real meaning of this word. Criticising the policies of the central government, Mukherjee said the DYFI CEC has decided to organise a national level rally in the capital on August 12 when young men and women would occupy the Parliament Street of Delhi. Uddhab Barman dealt with the present situation in the state, lambasting the state government for its sheer worthlessness in tackling the issues concerning Assam.

Earlier several cultural troupes presented plays and revolutionary songs before the gathering.

On May 3 evening, Manik Sarkar inaugurated the delegates session in the historic Gandhi Bhawan, underlining the urgent need of a strong democratic movement in Assam. The DYFI must play a significant role in this regard, he said. The inaugural session was presided over by DYFI state president Pearul Islam.

Reception committee chairman Sunilal Bhattacharyya welcomed the delegates, while a five member presidium comprising Pearul Islam, Ashok Bhuyan, Binati Tanti, Sakuntala Basumatary and Abhijit Gupta conducted the conference proceedings. Nayan Bhuyan presented the draft report before the conference.

On May 4, two workshops were conducted --- on organisation and movement, while 42 comrades took part in the discussion on the draft report. The report and the resolutions were unanimously adopted. The concluding speech was delivered by Avoy Mukherjee, who expressed the hope that the 11th state conference would definitely help the organisation in Assam in fighting its weaknesses and forging the movement.

The conference, which was attended by 174 elected delegates from 20 districts, elected a 50 member state committee with Loknath Adhikari as state president and Nayan Bhuyan as state secretary.

A blood donation camp was organised on May 5 where 30 youths voluntarily donated blood.

A cultural programme and a state level seminar were organized on May 4, 2013. The seminar was chaired by Saptahik Ganasakti editor Suprakash Talukdar.

It may be noted that the DYFI’s Tripura and Assam state committees have decided to jointly organise a huge demonstration in front of the North-Eastern Frontier Railway headquarters in Guwahati on August 7, 2013, to press the demand for immediate completion of the gauge-conversion project so that Tripura and the Barak valley of Assam are connected by broad gauge railway track at the earliest. The Assam state conference, through a resolution, urged upon the youth of the state to join the demonstration in big numbers.