People's Democracy

DYFI�s Azadi Bachao Abhiyan Evokes Good Response

DEMOCRATIC Youth Federation of India�s Azadi Bachao Abhiyan against the anti-national nuclear deal, price rise, unemployment, communalism and terrorism launched on Septemberc 27, 2008, on the occasion of Bhagat Singh�s birth anniversary has evoked a good response. As a part of this campaign, out of the seven all India (inter state) yuva jathas planned by the organisation, two jathas, one from Aurangabad (Maharashtra) to Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh) and second one from Hyderabad to Vayalar (Kerala) via Tamilnadu and Karnataka have culminated on October 10 and 21^st respectively. Another two jathas one from Cooch Bihar (West Bengal) and the other one from Agartala (Tripura) both culminated on October 25, 2008 in Guwahati, Assam. The fifth jatha, which has started from Shimla on October 29, 2008 will join the Jallianwalla Bagh jatha on October 30, 2008 at Amritsar.

The first inter state yuva jatha started on October 5, 2008 from Aurangabad and after passing through Jalna, Beed, Mazhalgoan, Shirsala, Parbhani, Sidharth Nagar, Kalamnuri, Mahur in Maharashtra and Adilabad in Andhra Pradesh, it culminated at Hyderabad. Maharashtra state secretary, Shailendra Kamble led this jatha as its convenor. The second all India jatha began on October 10, 2008 with an impressive youth rally and passed through the four south Indian states. CPI(M) Polit Bureau member B V Raghavalu inaugurated this Azadi Bachao yuva jatha. After holding public meetings at Suryapet, Khammam, Vijayawada, Guntur, Ongole, Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, Gummidipundi, Padianallur, Perambur, MMDA Colony, Kancheepuram, Arcot, Velloor, Gudiyatham, Thirupathur, Arror and Hosur in Tamilnadu, Bangarupet, Kollar, Bahepalli, Sikpallapuram, Bangalore, Mandia, Mysore, Kurg and Mangalore in Karnataka, Kasargode, Kayyur, Payyannur, Kannur, Thalassery, Vadakara, Kozhikode, Perunthalmanna, Ottappalam, Palakkad, Thrissur, Ernakulam it culminated at Vayalar in Kerala with huge procession and massive youth rally. Sitaram Yechury, MP and member of CPI (M) Polit Bureau was the main speaker. While appreciating the initiative taken by the DYFI, Yechury said that youth will have to shoulder the important responsibility of putting up strong barricades against the pro imperialist policies of the Congress led UPA government. He also said that the disclosures in the process of nuclear deal and the aftermath of the global financial crisis have vindicated the categorical and principled position taken by the CPI(M) and the Left. He also called upon the youth to unitedly fight against the forces of imperialism, communalism, terrorism and regional chauvinism. DYFI general secretary Tapas Sinha, president and jatha captain Sreeramakrishnan, Jammu and Kashmir state secretary Mohd Amin Dar, Tamilnadu state secretary S Kannan, Kerala state secretary T V Rajesh, state president M B Rajesh and Karnataka state secretary Bharatraj also addressed the rally.

In north and northeastern region, Azadi Bachao yuva jathas started from Cooch Bihar in West Bengal and Udaipur in Tripura. Cooch Bihar jatha passed through, Toofan Gunj, Rangia, and Udaipur jatha covered a distance of 600 kilometers passing through Visramgunj, Vishal Garh, Agartala, Khyarpur, Khiraniya, Teliamura, Ambasa, Monu, Kumargarh, Dharampur Chouriabura, Patherkandi and Silcher and culminated at Guwahati on October 25, 2008 with a big youth rally. These two jathas were inaugurated by Biman Basu, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and Manik Sarkar, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and chief minister of Tripura. Tapas Sinha was the main speaker at the concluding rally. Abhas Roy Choudhury, DYFI West Bengal state secretary and captain of Cooch Bihar jatha, Tapas Dutta, state secretary of Tripura and captain of Udaipur jatha, Uddhab Burman, Assam state secretary of CPI(M), Anand Deka, Romadevi, state secretary of Manipur and captain of Imphal to Guwahati jatha and West Bengal state president, Pratim Ghosh also addressed the rally giving a call for Delhi chalo on November 3, 2008.

Azadi Bachao yuva jatha from Shimla to Jallianwalabagh was inaugurated on October 24, 2008 by Suneet Chopra. A procession and public meeting was organised on this occasion. Sanjay Chouhan, Pushpendra Tyagi, Kushal Bhardwaj, Balbir Parashar, Ashok Negi also addressed the gathering. This jatha passed through Shimla, Thiyog, Rampur, Kullu, Nagwai and Mandi and reached Amritsar on October 30, 2008.

Thousands of people particularly the youth have participated in receptions, public meetings and rallies organised enroute the jatha campaign. This good and encouraging response from the youth and other sections of the society shows the massive discontent against the anti-people, pro-imperialist policies of the Manmohan Singh government at the Centre. These policies have paved the way for surrendering our sovereignty, independence and security. India is losing its political and economic independence that it got after a century long struggle for independence against imperialism. Sixty one years have passed since we got independence but instead of its eradication, the inequality has grown to such an extent that more than 80 crore of our people are forced to live on less than Rs 20 a day and a very small section of billionaires and millionaires is holding the major share of wealth. The enemies of our people- imperialist, fundamentalist, terrorist and chauvinist forces are taking advantage of spiraling unemployment and socio- economic insecurity to get the people divided in the name of region, religion, language and caste etc., thereby diverting their attention from the actual issues of employment, education, health and that of our independent foreign policy, and our right to take our own decisions as an independent sovereign nation.

Through this Azadi Bachao Abhiyan, DYFI is raising these issues making a strong appeal to the youth community to come forward to save our independence. The major economic crisis that broke out in USA and which is affecting the global economic order has exposed the dark realities of the neo-liberal policies and globalisation. Even the hardcore advocates of privatisation, liberalisation and globalisation are shell-shocked and are without answers. More and more people in our country, who are also feeling the heat of this meltdown, are associating themselves with the Azadi Bachao Abhiyan. On November 3, 2008, youth in large numbers will take part in the demonstration in New Delhi.