DYFI holds state-level study camp in Maharashtra

DYFI holds state-level study camp in Maharashtra

A three-day study camp was organized by DYFI Maharashtra State Committee for its leading cadre in the state from 8th to 10th of May at Uran in Raigad district. Dr. Sulabha Brahme, well-known economist and public intellectual, inaugurated the camp which was attended by 91 delegates. In her inaugural address, Dr.Brahme pointed out that Mahrashtra has become a distress-ridden state. The large majority of the people in the state are facing serious challenges to their livelihood, she said. Misery of the people is particularly severe in tribal and other rural areas. She exhorted the DYFI cadre to build struggles from the grass-roots against neo-liberal policies that have caused distress to the people of Maharashtra.

Former leaders of the DYFI in Maharashtra, Com.Mahendra Singh and Com.Ashok Dhawale delivered lectures in the study camp. In his presentation, Com. Mahendra Singh dwelt the “current socio-political situation and the tasks in front of youth”. He said that in the current neo-liberal phase of capitalism, capitalist classes everywhere are trying to resolve the economic crisis by attacking the rights and livelihood of the people. The experience in India is no different. Here Hindutwa forces have been able to tap the discontent of the people become the ruling party at the centre and in states like Maharashtra. In the new situation, Sangh Parivar forces are unleashing a two-fold agenda: intensification of the assaults on economic rights of the people and forcing Hindutwa communalism aggressively. Democratic youth movement has a vital role to resist this agenda. DYFI must organise the youth against growing unemployment and against communalization of society, Com.Singh said.

Dr. Ashok Dhawale, talked on “ ideology and politics of communalism”. He dwelt at length on the history Hindutwa in India linking this history to the rise of fascism in rest of the world. Maharashtra has been a fertile ground for communal forces. Hindutwa forces have always been in the camp of the enemies of the people. They played the role of serving British imperialism by trying to disrupt our freedom struggle. Similarly in the sixties and seventies, they served the capitalist classes to disrupt working class movement. Hindutwa world-view is the most backward looking ideology, it stands for perpetuation of caste structure, it accords inferior status to women, it is against spreading scientific temper. That some of the republican groups and Dalit intellectuals have joined hands with Sangh parivar is a testimony to the degeneration of these parties and the trickery of sangh parivar. The real resistance to communalism has to b led by left forces. DYFI as the platform fo progressive youth has a major role to play in this task, said Com.Dhawale.

Dr.R.Ramakumar of Tata Institute of Social Sciences gave a talk on the growing commercialization of sports. He explained how sports as a genuine cultural avenue has suffered greatly in the process of ultra-commercialisation that has gripped this field at the international as well as national level.

DYFI national president Com.M.B.Rajesh gave a presentation on the organizational aspects of building the democratic youth movement. On the inaugural day, camp participants went out to the Uran town to collect funds for Nepal earth quake victims’ relief. A cheque of Rs. 45252/- was handed over to Com. M B Rajesh in the camp.

A detailed plan for DYFI activities for the next 5 months till upcoming state conference was finalized at the camp. The major activities planned are 1) carrying forward the efforts to build a movement for re-introducing lakhs of abolished vacancies in Maharashtra’s public services 2) conducting youth festivals at village, town and taluka levels and 3) stepping up the campaign against social backwardness, caste atrocities, gender discrimination and communalism. The 0camp decided to organize twostatewide jathas as part of the campaign against communal forces. One Jatha will start from the spot where Dr.Narendra Dabholkar was shot dead in Pune city and the other from the spot in Kolhapur city where Com.Pansare was shot. These week-long jathas will end at Aurangabad on 1st October on the eve of three day DYFI state conference which will be held in the city from 2nd to 4th October.

The study camp held in Uran has filled tremendous enthusiasm in the leading cadre of Maharashtra DYFI. The comrades who attended the camp went back to their districts determined to implement the five-months plan successfully, hold a path-breaking conference in October and advance towards building a vibrant youth movement capable to confront the rightwing forces that are dominating Maharashtra’s society at present.

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