Youth organize for an alternative to the present political system and process

On April 15, 2007, the Delhi samiti of the Hind Naujawan Ekta Sabha (HNES) organized its annual convention followed by a socio-cultural event to mark the martyrdom of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and his comrades.

A presidium including the Secretary of the Regional Committee of the CGPI was elected to conduct the proceedings. The Convention heard the report of the work of HNES Delhi samiti over the past year. The report reflected the great intensity and diversity of the work that has been undertaken by HNES in the capital, in conformity with its slogan “Sangatith hon, hukamraan banein, samaj ko badal daalein!” (Let us organize to become the rulers and change society!).

Among other things, the report focused on the participation of HNES in the political process through its active participation and intervention in the MCD elections, the participation of HNES in the struggles of all sections of the working people in Delhi such as the struggle against evictions of people from slums and resettlement colonies, against sealing of shops and commercial establishments and attacks on the livelihood of hawkers, vendors, small shopkeepers and traders, against the imposition of the Delhi Master Plan, for housing and land rights and against the SEZ policy of the government, in support of the struggle of Manipuri students for scrapping the AFSPA, and many others. The report dealt with the work of HNES to unite youth on a common platform on issues such as ‘reservation in higher education’, opposition to state terrorism and communal violence and the increasing US imperialist interference and war mongering in this region.

The work of HNES to politically educate and mobilize the youth found reflection in the report of the youth camp that had been organized in September 2006 in Nohar, Rajasthan. The special role played by the youth around HNES in organizing the residents of their colonies in Sangharsh Samitis, in order to fight for their rights were also highlighted. The increasing membership and participation of women as well as the rapid growth of the work on the cultural front, especially through the formation of the Rangbhoomi Natya Samooh at the initiative of HNES members, and the development of street theatre as a medium of effective communication with the working people brought out the vibrancy and ever-expanding scope of the work of HNES. The attention paid by HNES to strengthening its organizational unity and enhancing democratic decision-making at all levels was the key to the success of the work of HNES, the member presenting the report pointed out.

Participants at the convention vigorously discussed the participation of HNES in the recently concluded MCD elections. It was pointed out that HNES was part of a joint front, the Jan Pratinidhi Manch, consisting of organizations of residents of slum and resettlement colonies as well as middle and upper class colonies, which fielded candidates selected by the residents from among themselves and rejected outright the candidates of the various political parties of the establishment. In 4 wards HNES members were selected as the people’s candidates (jan pratinidhi). The solemn oath that they took before the ward residents, to be accountable to the people and the affidavit they signed in the presence of the residents agreeing to step down if they were found wanting in fulfilling their responsibilities towards the residents of the ward, the spirited and colourful election campaign of these candidates – all these greatly enhanced the principled stand of HNES and the confidence of the people in these youth activists.

The plan of action for the coming period was next presented. This included an active program for strengthening the local residents’ sangharsh samitis and leading the struggle for basic civic amenities, a vigorous membership drive in all the areas where new youth are getting attracted to HNES, theatre workshop, youth camp, organizing local sports, painting and other programs for youth and children in the colonies, organizing political discussions among youth on the burning issues of the day and many other plans. The enthusiasm and excitement with which each of these was proposed and discussed infected each and every new participant, many of whom lined up to register for membership of HNES. The Convention unanimously elected the new Delhi Samiti for the year 2007-2008, which then elected its Mukhya Mantri.

Congratulating the HNES for its work over the past year and for the successful organizing of this convention, the representative of the Communist Ghadar Party of India said that HNES represents the revolutionary spirit of the youth of our country, who are unwilling to accept a political system in which the masses of toiling people are completely marginalized. Under the leadership of HNES, the youth have given the call that people have to become the rulers, because only when political power really belongs to the people can we organize to bring about the conditions that will ensure peace, prosperity, security and fulfillment of our rights.

The second session was a cultural afternoon, to celebrate the revolutionary spirit of our martyrs. A member of the newly elected Delhi samiti of HNES spoke about the call of our martyrs . . . to take up the unfinished task of wresting political power from the handful of exploiters and vesting it firmly in the hands of the toiling masses. This was followed by a short skit presented by a group of young women members of HNES, depicting the kind of oppression and discrimination women and girls face in our society and bringing out the clear message that only with political power in our hands can we end this exploitation and injustice. Youth, who had participated in the campaign for the MCD election, entertained the audience with some humorous acting of real situations they had to face during the campaign. A group of youth presented a pulsating bhangra dance, which kept the audience tapping their feet to the rhythm. A short documentary film on the on-going attacks on the housing rights of the slum dwellers in Delhi was shown, followed by a discussion on the issue.

The newly elected Mukhya Mantri of the Delhi HNES samiti summed up the entire spirit of the program in his concluding remarks. Comrade Prakash Rao, Convenor of the Lok Raj Sangathan exhorted the youth to carry forward their work to even higher levels, in his brief concluding remarks. The convention concluded on a militant and enthusiastic note, with the youth energized to take up the challenges ahead.