People's Democracy

DYFI to Hold Convention on Joblessness

MEETING at New Delhi on December 11 and 12, the central executive committee (CEC) of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) discussed the grim employment scenario in the country, expressing serious concern over its impact on the common people in general and on youth in particular. Instead of addressing the issue, the central government is going in for disinvestment of the public sector undertakings (PSUs) and to continue the ban on recruitment. The severe impact of economic slowdown on various sectors in our country is either underplayed or addressed in terms of giving stimulus packages to the corporate houses. Not only is there no move from the government to address the situation of job losses, the government is also reluctant to reveal the actual figures of job loss in the aftermath of the global economic crisis. The unprecedented rise in the prices of essential commodities has further worsened the situation.

In this situation, the issue of spiraling unemployment in rural as well as in urban areas and the issues of underemployment and increasing contractisation have become an important and urgent problem facing the organised democratic youth movement in the country. In this background, the false propaganda campaign unleashed by the Congress government regarding the so-called development of common man and the youth needs to be exposed thoroughly. The DYFI has decided to organise a two-day All India Youth Convention on Employment on February 10 and 11, 2010 in New Delhi. The main objective of this convention is to highlight the ground realities and to chalk out a concrete plan of struggle in the coming days. In order to broad-base the debate on employment, the DYFI has also decided to invite fraternal youth organizations; this will help in launching a united struggle on the demands charter to be adopted in the convention.

The CEC has also decided to organise a national level programme to commemorate the anniversary of the Cuban Revolution at Kanjangad, Kasargod on December 30, 2009.

In the background of the Copenhagen climate change summit, the CEC decided to conduct a campaign of awareness on the issue throughout the country. On January 15, 2010, all state committees will conduct this awareness campaign by organising various types of programmes.

On the burning issue of the unprecedented price rise, all state committees will undertake protest action programmes at various levels by mobilising youth and other sections of the society in the first week of January 2010.