DYFI has written a letter to the honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi

DYFI has written a letter to the honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemning the efforts by Sangh Pariwar to eulogise Nathuram Godse, the murderer of Mahatma Gandhi.
 
The full text of the letter is as follows. Share and send this letter to as many friends and contacts as possible.
Let us unite for INDIA !

To
Shri. Narendra Modi
Honourable Prime Minister of India

Respected Sir,
According to several reports in the media, certain political groups such as Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha have declared their intention to honour Nathuram Godse by building his statues at public places, building Godse temple, organizing film shows etc.
Along with all the patriotic citizens of our republic, we condemn these heinous proclamations and plans.

Hindu Mahasabha leaders have announced next 30th of January, the martyrdom day of Mahatma Gandhi, as the day on which foundation stone would be laid for Godse temple and Godse movie would be screened. They have chosen the anniversary of the murder of Mahatma Gandhi to exhort the people to shower praise on the murderer! By such shameless display of their barbarian mindset, these elements have demonstrated that they are true followers of Nathuram Godse.

On behalf of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), we demand that the government of India must firmly disallow all such moves aimed at promoting Godse cult in our country. We further demand that the government of India must instruct all state governments to firmly disallow such activities.

We have observed two trends in the efforts to slowly inculcate respect for Godse. One is to unabashedly vilify Mahatma Gandhi and eulogize Godse. The other is to formally disapprove the act of murdering Gandhiji but at the same time exonerate Godse by suggesting that he also was a patriot though with an ideology different from that of Gandhiji. All these are nothing but cunning ways to legitimize Godse and the poisonous ideas personified by him.

To claim that Godse was a patriot is a disgusting display of dishonesty. Godse did not oppose British imperialists; he did not fight for the freedom of India even as thousands of patriotic Indians were laying their lives in the struggle to liberate India from British imperialism. Godse belonged to that political stream whose leader V.D.Savarkar begged for clemency from the British and, upon gaining his release, totally desisted from working against the imperialists.

Godse had no love for India and the people of India. He was engaged in the business of spreading hatred. According to the vision of India that he shared, crores of Indians belonging to minority communities were to be exterminated or driven out of the country or compelled to live in permanent subordination with no rights. It is such maniacal ideology which prompted Godse and his colleagues to murder Mahatma Gandhi. The current effort to characterise Godse as a nationalist and a patriot is, in fact, part of a plan to spread the ideology of hatred personified by him and take the country to the path of endless violence.

The independent republic of India cannot permit any effort to spread the lie that Godse, the murderer of Mahatma Gandhi, was a patriot. We urge the government of India to strictly disallow all direct or indirect efforts to eulogize Nathuram Godse or be apologetic about him in the public sphere.

Thanking You
Yours faithfully
MB Rajesh Avoy Mukherjee
President General Secretary

Protest against killing of Mohsin Shaikh by Hindu communal forces

A protest was organized by DYFI-SFI-AIDWA (Democratic Youth Federation of India-Students’ Federation of India- All India Democratic Women’s Association), AISF (All India Secular Forum), Communalism Combat, Minorities Federation, Jan Sanskriti Manch and NAPM (National Alliance for People’s Movement) at Azad Maidan on June 5, 2014 against the gruesome killing of the innocent, visibly Muslim 28 year old IT professional, Shaikh Mohsin Sadiq, by a group of people allegedly belonging to the radical Hindu outfit called Hindu Rashtra Sena.

 

The protest witnessed around 70 activists, journalists, academics, lawyers etc along with a strong media presence. The protestors included a diverse group of men and women- Hindus, Muslims and a few Sikhs.
 

Though police permission had been denied, the groups concerned went ahead with the protest, given that the right to peacefully protest is constitutionally guaranteed to every citizen.

The idea behind the protest was to see the youth’s murder in the context of the threat that is increasingly being posed to the secular spirit of the nation. One cannot help but see the murder of the youth as a component of the larger hate propaganda of the communal forces in the country.

Though it initially appeared that the police may arrest the protestors, no such thing happened and the protest was peacefully carried out. In that sense then, the protest also became a comment on the increasingly shrinking space and freedom to protest and the ways in which the State seems to be curbing the democratic ethos that India stands for.

DYFI Dakshin Kannada District Conference

The Democratic Youth Federation of India urged youths to support candidates representing the Left parties or those from the third alternative that the Left parties support in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing a public meeting at the end of two day district DYFI meeting on Monday, DYFI district president Muneer Katipalla said both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party were two sides of the same coin. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi — whom he described as prime ministerial candidates from the two parties — were being backed by corporate entities. Kannada actor Chetan said the youth should continue their fight till equality was achieved in society. There should be no barriers of caste, creed and language. “All languages are ours. Efforts should be made to grow it.” He recalled the contribution made to literature from Beary, Konkani, Tulu and Malayalam. “If we accept these languages, we will grow,” he said.

DYFI State president M.L. Bharatraj and CITU district secretary Vasanth Achary also spoke. In a meeting of the district DYFI held in Kolya, Mr. Katipalla was unanimously re-elected as the district unit president. The names of the other office-bearers of DYFI elected were Dayanand Shetty (Secretary), Jeevanraj Kuttar (Treasurer), Ashok Shetty Chemugudde (vice president), B.K. Imtiyaz (vice president) and Pramila K. Shatinagar (vice president).

(courtesy : the hindu)

DYFI protest Demanding justice in Sowjanya Case

A huge protest was staged in front of the DC Office in Mangalore on October 9, Wednesday demanding a CBI probe into the Sowjanya rape and murder case. The protest was organised by the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and Students Federation of India (SFI) in association with various like minded organizations.

Addressing the protesters Member of the Parliament and the President of Kerala State Akhila Bharatha Janathavadi Mahila Sangatane T N Seema said that, this is a continuous denial of Justice to the Sowjanya Murder case. Lot of injustice is going on in this case. She further said that it is shocking that from the past one year our system cannot find out the real culprit, they are not even able to do proper investigation. It is also shocking that the incident has happened in the country where they talk about safety for women. When the country is discussing about curbing the violence on women and to provide safety. Why the police and other concerned authorities are showing special interest in protecting the criminals? Why have they failed to collect evidence? she questioned.

Instead of investigating the case, a mentally challenged person had been arrested, when there are many people involved in this case only Santhosh Rao was targeted and arrested. When Sowjanya's father told the police about the involvement of other three people in his daughter's murder, the police without listening to his statement, targeted a mentally challenged person and arrested him. The police officials under pressure are trying to close this case. When there is pressure from the organizations to hand over this case to the CBI, the concerned authorities are not ready to hand over the case to the CBI.

Seema further said, "When Sowjanya's mother is said to have revealed to the officials that Santosh, the accused under arrest, could not have committed the act by himself. She said that the police had wrongly implicated him in the murder. The girl was killed elsewhere and the body was later dumped at the spot where it was found. She also pointed out that after her daughter had gone missing, she along with other residents had gone in search of her all around. The body was not there during the search, but it was found the next day, which proved that it was placed there much later". But till today there is no proper investigation about the murder case, she opined.

On December 16, 2012 a medical student was gang raped and killed in Delhi, the government brought a strict law against the criminals who are involved in rape. When there was a rape in Delhi, the Prime minister said that he has three daughters and he is concerned about women and their safety even Sushil Kumar Shinde also gave the same statement. In Delhi 60% of the police are deployed for the safety of the politicians and only 40% police are taking care of the general public. The politicians want their daughters to be safe, but what about the women and girls in the country, who will protect them? She questioned.

In our country crores of girls are going to school and colleges, who will protect them? In the constitution it is written about equal rights to men and women. Where do we women have equal rights? Women are being harassed, molested, abused, raped and murdered every minute, she said. She demanded to hand over the case to the CBI and give justice to Sowjanya's family.

JMS president Hemalatha, JMS secretary Kiranaprabha, President DYFI Muneer Katipalla, Secretary DYFI Dayanand, SFI State vice president Renuka Kahar and Marlyn Martis from Mahila Duarjanya Virodhi Vedike were also present.

DYFI members picket Govt Hospital in Tiruchi

Members of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) were arrested in Tiruchi on Wednesday after they indulged in picketing and attempted to lay siege to the Mahatma Gandhi Government Hospital demanding that the “unhygienic” conditions prevailing at the hospital be rectified. A few members, who managed to get into the hospital to stage a protest, were also arrested. They were released later in the day.

Maharashtra State Joint convention of DYFI and SFI

Preethy Sekhar (Secretary, DYFI Maharashtra state committee)

Maharashtra State Joint convention of DYFI and SFI against acute unemployment and rampant commercialization of education calls for state level agitation.

The convention decided on a plan of action to mobilize youth and students in a big way in the movement. The campaign will start in campuses, town centres and villages in the month of October followed by district / taluka level rallies in early November. A state wide rally will be held in Mumbai on 29th and charter of demands will be submitted to state government. 

From December onwards sustained agitations will be organized across the state on specific demands. The struggles will be directed against various authorities considering the level of authority at which the specific demand can be achieved. Later, volunteers from all districts will gather once more to the state capital -this time for a sustained agitation at state head quarters of government departments and PSUs.

The convention also decided to prepare a draft urban employment guarantee bill for Maharashtra state with the help of pro-people economists, retired administrative officers and legal experts. 

DYFI and SFI in Maharashtra are determined to mobilize youth and students in a big way to put up a militant resistance against commercialization of education and policies creating unemployment.

The convention was attended by Com. Ashok Dawle, CPIM Maharashtra state secretary, Com. V Sivadasan All India Secretary, SFI. 

DYFI All India President Com. M B Rajesh vists Dharmapuri

Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) on Thursday urged the Union Government to enact a separate law to prevent the increasing incidents of honour killings in the country. M.P. Rajesh, all India president of DYFI said on Thursday after visiting the parents of E. Ilavarasan at the Dharmpuri Government Medical College Hospital that caste-based political parties were responsible for the honour killings.

DYFI was of the opinion that the death of Ilavarasan was shrouded in mystery, and hence, the government should order a CBI inquiry to unravel the truth, he said. Those responsible for the death of Ilavarasan should be brought before law as it was another incident of honour killing. DYFI would extend all help to his family members.

Khap panchayats in the north and katta panchayats in the south were causing honour killings. Last year 330 cases relating to killing of youngsters were registered. This year during the first five months 13 honour killings have been reported. Honour killings were a shame on society.

Mr. Rajesh said that Dravidian parties were contributing least to end honour killings as they were afraid of losing caste-based vote banks. With a view to encourage casteless marriages, the DYFI had launched a website for inter-caste marriages.

Senior leader of Communist Party of India (CPI) R. Nallakannu said that a fair investigation would be carried out by the Justice Singaravelu Commission of Inquiry appointed by the State Government.The commission should recommend the government measures to stop recurrence of such incidents in future. Earlier, the police prevented Mr. Nallakannu from visiting the mortuary to see the body of Ilavarasan.

(Courtesy : The hindu)

DYFI 4th All India Women's Convention held in Mumbai

The Democratic Youth Federation of India held its 4th All India Young Women’s Convention in Mumbai on 25th and 26th of May. Apart from Central Executive Committee members of the organisation, 94 delegates from various states assembled for the convention at Lakshmi Sehgal Nagar (Aarsh Vidyalaya Campus, Chembur). 

The convention began with DYFI national president M B Rajesh hoisting the flag at the convention venue on 25th morning. Renowed economist Prof. Utsa Patnaik inaugurated the convention. In her inaugural address Prof.Utsa reminded the youth movement that a comprehensive fight against atrocities on women inseparable from the fight against neo-liberal economic regime which is causing immense distress and gunger in our country. The advent of neo-liberal economic policies has pulled back hunger and malnutrition levels to those of colonial times. Women are the worst sufferes of this. Instead of reversing the policies which are causing misery to the people, the ruling establishment is displaying pathetic intellctual dishonesty in claiming that hunger and poverty levels are coming down. She explained the ridiculous nature of poverty line announced by officialdom. Acute poverty is compounded by rising unemployment of which women are the worst affected. Employment opportunities for women are becoming nearly absent in rural India. She drew attention to the structural changes taking place in the workforce of the nation as a result of neo-liberal economics. Decline of organised labour has meant weakening of the social agency that stood for an alternate ‘moral universe’ opposed to capitalism’s culture of objectifying women. This along with ‘lumpenisation’ not only of sections of working class but also of fractions of bourgeosie haver connection to the growing level of atrocities against women.
 

Eminent social activist Teest Setalvad also spoke at the seeion which was chaired by MB Rajesh. CITU leader K L Bajaj and CPI(M) state secretary Ashok Dhawale were also present.

Several eminent women activists, writers and TU leaders like Teesta Setalwad, Sandhya Nare Pawar, Tapati Mukhopadhyaya, Madhu Paranjape, Armaity Irani, Shubha Shamim, Sonya Gill and Mariam Dhawale were felicitated at the inaugural session.

DYFI Kerala State conference to begin today

The 12th State conference of the Democratic Youth Federation of India Kerala unit will be held at Alappuzha from Tuesday to Thursday. 

Reception committee chairman G. Sudhakaran, MLA, hoisted the conference flag at the Town Hall  on Monday to mark the start of proceedings of the conference.. The flag was brought to the town in procession from Karimulackal G. Bhuvaneswaran Martyr Memorial at Charummoodu in the district. The flag was brought from Koothuparamba Martyrs Memorial at Kannur.

O.N.V. Kurup, Jnanpith laureate, will inaugurate the conference. A total of 683 delegates from the 14 districts will participate in the conference. DYFI State president M. Swaraj will preside over the inaugural function. State secretary T.V. Rajesh, MLA, will present the report.

DYFI president M.B. Rajesh, MP, and general secretary Abhoy Mukherjee will participate.

A seminar on “Relevance of Left movements in 21st century” will be held from 4 p.m. on Tuesday. Pinarayi Vijayan, State secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)  will inaugurate the seminar. P.K. Chandranandan, veteran Communist leader and leader of the Punnapra struggle, will preside over the seminar. CPI State secretary Pannian Ravindran, the Revolutionary Socialist Party leader N.K. Premachandran, the Janata Dal(S) leader Mathew T. Thomas and the CPI(M) district secretary C.B. Chandrababu will participate.

The delegate meeting will continue on Wednesday, where young talent from various fields will be honoured. CPI(M) Polit Bureau member M.A. Baby will inaugurate the meeting to honour talent. Mr. Sudhakaran will preside over the function.

One lakh youths will take out a rally to mark the conclusion of the conference on Thursday. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar will inaugurate the valedictory meeting. The CPI(M) leaders Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and T.M. Thomas Isaac, MLAs, will speak.

The venues of the conference are EMS Stadium, Municipal Town Hall and Town Square.

Left Youth Rally in Kolkata

Youth wings of Left parties led by Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) today staged a protest rally here demanding justice for the depositors and investors for Saradha Group. "We along with other Left youth wings today marched to the state secretariat - Writers' Buildings - from College Square. But we were stopped at Rani Rashmoni Road," Abhas Roy Choudhury, state president of DYFI, said.

"We had a charter of nine demands which included justice for the depositors and investors of Saradha Group chit funds and restoration of peace in college campuses," he said. Roy Choudhury alleged that they were not allowed to submit a memorandum to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. "We were told to submit the memorandum to the industries minister," he said.

DYFI - SFI oppose Rail fare hike

The Central Executive Committees of the Democratic Youth Federation of India and the Students federation of India strongly oppose the all-round hike in rail fares announced by the railway minister.

In a rare decision just a month ahead of the Budget, Railway minister Pawan Kumar

Bansal, today announced an across-the-board hike in fares of all classes from midnight of January 21, the first such increase in a decade. The minister while announcing the decision did not rule out a hike in the freight tariff.

By raising price of diesel, cooking gas and now rail fare, UPA government has shown its real face to voters. The hike in the fares of second class, sleeper and suburban fares is particularly unjustified as they will burden the ordinary people who are already suffering from all-round price rise. We demand the immediate withdrawal of the fare hikes.

The CEC of DYFI and SFI calls upon all its units to organize protests against the new burden being imposed on the people

Youth March for castless and secular society in Kerala begins

Youth march organised by the Democratic Youth Federation of India Kerala State committee with the slogan “Casteless society and secular Kerala” began on 4th January in Kasargod. Com Nilolpal Basu CPIM Central Secretarite member inaugurated the march by giving the white flag to march leaders. The march, led by DYFI State president Com M. Swaraj and DYFI State Secretary Com. T V Rajesh MLA has been organised to highlight the recent developments in Kerala ruled by the Congress-led United Democratic Front, which, the organisation said, had tarnished the cherished secular values of the State and turned it into a hotbed of caste and communal wrangles. The month long march will conclude in Thiruvananthapuram on the 4th of February with a huge youth meeting planned to be attended by 1 lakh youngsters from Thiruvanathapuram district alone. The march will conclude in Thiruvananthapuram after traversing through 13 districts.

 DYFI All India president M.B. Rajesh, MP; P. Karunakaran, MP; P. Sreeramakrishnan MLA and CPI(M) district secretary K.P. Satheesh Chandran were present during the inaugural ceremony. A huge youth rally was organised on behalf of the function in kumbala.

Poster of Youth Festival in Pune organised by DYFI