People's Democracy

        DYFI To Present Youth Demands Charter To PM

TO press for fulfilment of the long-standing demands of the youth of our country, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) has decided to launch a nationwide movement through a widespread campaign on national and local level issues. The committee has also decided to submit a memorandum to the prime minister before launching this movement, which would be focussed on the following major demands.

1.      Adopt a national youth and sports policy

2.      Include right to work as a fundamental right

3.      Initiate land reforms

4.      Lift the ban on recruitment, fill up all existing vacancies and re-establish abolished jobs

5.      Education for all, Jobs for all

This was decided at the central executive committee meeting of the DYFI held in New Delhi on June 15-17. The CEC has also decided that after submitting the memorandum to the prime minister, a massive signature campaign would be undertaken among the youth and other sections of society in support of these demands. The target would be to collect one crore signatures from September 15 to October 15.

The CEC also decided that state and district-level youth rallies will be organised on September 15 raising the demands of youth. After these activities the CEC will chalk out a plan for national-level programme.

In a statement issued after the meeting, DYFI president K N Balagopal and general secretary Tapas Sinha have informed that the CEC decided to continue the struggle on youth demands in a big way in order to force the new government to implement the people’s verdict against communalisation, privatisation and globalisation. The CEC warmly congratulated the Indian people for their decisive mandate against the BJP and its allies. It also congratulated the youth community of the country in general and DYFI members in particular for having played an important role in dislodging the anti-people BJP-led NDA government from power.

The statement warned the new UPA government that people’s expectations are high and they clearly want the roll back of the anti-people economic policies and communalisation.

The CEC adopted a resolution condemning the price hike of petroleum products and demanded the government to reconsider the decision. It also decided to observe Iraq-Palestine Solidarity Day on June 30, 2004.