UNDER the historic slogan “Naye Bharat ke vaaste, Bhagat Singh – Ambedkar ke raaste” (On Ambedkar Path, For the Sake of A New India) the 19th State Conference of DYFI Delhi was successfully held on April 12 at Sonia Vihar. The conference saw participation from 106 delegates representing 10 areas across the Delhi NCR region.

The conference was inaugurated by Rikta, State President of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), who hoisted the organisation’s flag. Delegates entered Comrade Mahesh Hall raising slogans "Shaheedon tumhare sapnon ko manzil tak le jaayenge, Shiksha, rozgaar aur aawas chahiye, Jeene ka adhikaar chahiye!" (Oh, martyrs, we will make your dreams reality. We want education, jobs, a place to stay, the right to live) and paid their tributes at the Martyrs' Memorial. Prior to the opening of the plenary session, Comrade Rikta moved the condolence resolution.

The open plenary session was inaugurated by the chief guest, Comrade Vikram Singh, Joint Secretary of the Agricultural Workers’ Union. Addressing the delegates, he declared that the Modi government was against the people. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the people voted for the Modi government on the strength of promises like 2 crore jobs for the youth, the elimination of corruption and price rise, but the moment it came to power, it doubled down on the very neo-liberal economic policies that had produced these crises. The country's resources are being handed over to corporate houses, driving ordinary people and farmers into deep economic distress.

As the United States imposes its imperialist agenda, India's independent foreign policy has been weakened, with direct consequences for agriculture and the domestic market. New trade agreements and tariff policies threaten to eliminate subsidies for Indian farmers, leaving them unable to compete against cheap produce from foreign corporate agriculture. India is making trade decisions on the basis of American directives rather than its sovereign national interests, like access to cheap oil from Russia. True democracy does not lie in being the "largest" democracy, but in defending the rights of the people. Parliament is kept uninformed about major international deals, which is a direct assault on the fundamental spirit of democracy.

Unemployment in the country has reached its highest level since Independence. The unemployment rate among educated youth has climbed to approximately 66 per cent. Government jobs in sectors such as Railways, BSNL, and insurance are being systematically eliminated. The rapid privatisation of essential services: education, healthcare, and electricity has eroded the purchasing power of the common people. While the ordinary person is being impoverished, the wealth of major corporate houses grew by a staggering 400 per cent between 2019 and 2024. The privatisation of education, healthcare, electricity, and fuel, along with relentlessly rising prices, has made daily life unaffordable.

In 2004 when the UPA-1 government was formed with the outside support of Left parties,  Left parties did not demand ministerial posts or perks but an assurance to bring pro-people policies. That support yielded historic legislative victories: the Right to Education (RTE), the Right to Information (RTI), and MNREGA. Through MNREGA, every rural household secured the legal right to at least 100 days of employment per year. The right to work must not remain confined to the villages; it must be extended to urban areas as well, where industries too face a deep crisis.

The BJP is not merely a communal party but the political arm of the RSS that has a project to reshape society into a particular hierarchical mould. When the youth raise demands for education and employment, the government attempts to divide them through communal incitement and other tactics. The current regime is not simply communal; it is actively advancing a specific fascist ideology. This ideology seeks to establish a rigid social hierarchy in which Dalits and Adivasis are confined to the role of servants. Attempts are being made to fracture national unity by turning people against one another on grounds of language, caste, and religion.

The ruling establishment is working to eliminate opposition leaders and bring democratic institutions under total control. This has been characterised as "neo-fascism." The government functions not in the interests of the people but for the profit of a handful of chosen corporate houses (Adani and Ambani). It is the workers and farmers who, in times of crisis, show the courage to resist this authoritarian government. The farmers' movement, for instance, compelled the government to repeal three farm laws. The ruling regime fears mass popular uprising because it has a history only of apologies and capitulation.

The movement of the Democratic Youth Federation of India carries forward the legacy of Martyr Bhagat Singh. The organisation was proclaimed the ideological heir of Bhagat Singh, a revolutionary who refused to bow in any circumstance. Thinking only of one's own caste or community is not enough; to transform the system, a broad unity must be built. The call was made not to cower before the "wolves" who spread hatred, but to raise the torch of revolution. The identity of India's future will be defined not by a handful of industrialists but by the toiling workers and farmers. In this profound crisis, youth are regarded as the "hope of the future" and the "harbingers of change." The politics of hatred will be confronted with the torch of revolution and the triumph of solidarity.

Comrade Sunand, Secretary of CITU Delhi; Comrade Suraj Elamon, State President of SFI; Comrade Pushpa, State Vice President of the Democratic Women's Association; and comrades from DSMM also extended solidarity messages. On behalf of the Sonia Vihar Reception Committee, Comrade Mukund expressed special gratitude to Comrade Ranjit Tiwari and the youth of the area who worked tirelessly, day and night, to make the conference a success.

The conference elected Rikta, Rahul, and Mrityunjay for presidium. Proceedings were conducted by Aman and Mahavir. The minutes committee consisted of Vijay, Upasna, and Munazir.

DYFI Delhi State Secretary Comrade Aman presented the organisation's detailed report against the backdrop of the BJP government's return to power in Delhi after 27 years marked by demolitions of slum settlements, rampant drug abuse, and a collapsing law and order situation. The report outlined the organisation's central tasks. It noted that lakhs of government posts in Delhi lie vacant, and the employment situation is deteriorating by the day. The report made special mention of the housing rights movement under the slogan "Jahaan Jhuggi, Wahaan Makaan" the anti-drug campaign, and state-wide mass campaigns against unemployment and the education crisis. It was also underscored that wherever local struggles were built, membership of the organisation grew significantly. Treasurer Comrade Mahavir presented the financial report. Of the delegates present, 14 participated in the substantive discussion on the organisation's report.

Delegates who participated in the discussion offered suggestions to further strengthen the organisation, enhance the ideological capacity of the cadre, and prioritise local struggles at the unit level. The conference unanimously adopted the report and also passed five important resolutions against unemployment, imperialism, communalism, the National Education Policy, and the four Labour Codes.

A 29-member State Committee was elected by consensus, with 7 seats kept vacant; one of which is reserved for a woman. The committee elected a 10-member Secretariat. In the newly elected Secretariat, Mrityunjay was elected as State President; Aman Saini as State Secretary; Rahul as Treasurer; Rajeev as Joint Secretary; Rikta and Mahavir as Vice Presidents; and Anandakrishnan and Pawan as Secretariat members. Two positions were kept vacant. Vijay, Leena, Anish, Dimesh, Tushar, Kajal, Abhishek, Ketan, Upasna, Pramod, Sarthak, Harsh, Shaheen, Satendra, and other comrades were also elected to the State Committee.

DYFI National Treasurer Comrade Sanjeev delivered the closing address. He declared the conference an outstanding success and called for this renewed energy to be channelled into the further expansion of the organisation. He noted that the impact of the way DYFI Delhi has raised the issues of Delhi's youth and ordinary people over the past two years is visible in the strength of this very conference. In a country and city gripped by deep crisis, the organisation stands as a beacon of hope for the people.

The 19th Conference of DYFI Delhi concluded with a firm political resolve: to intensify the struggle against rising unemployment, unaffordable education and healthcare, the corporate assault on the working class through the four Labour Codes, the government's policy of demolishing the settlements of workers and the poor, and the fascist politics of drugs and hatred. The growing despair and anger among the youth will be organised and transformed into a powerful mass movement for an India that embodies the dreams of Bhagat Singh and Ambedkar. A spirited march was taken out from the conference venue to the inauguration site of the Bhagat Singh and Ambedkar Library, with delegates marching forward raising slogans of struggle.