It was 8 am on Sunday, the eighth of February. A group of young men and women were standing in the Drop Gate area of Agartala. Most of them were wearing white T-shirts bearing the slogan “Save the Generation” on the front and back. The scene felt somewhat different and striking. As one moved closer, prominent Left youth leaders came into view — DYFI State Secretary Nabarun Deb, State President Palash Bhowmik, TYF General Secretary Kumud Debbarma, President Kaushik Roy Debbarma, among others. Speaking there, Deb said that under the BJP rule, the government and the ruling party have, in a completely planned manner, pushed the present and future generations to the brink of destruction. To save the present and future generations from this deep conspiracy, DYFI and TYF have launched a long-term programme titled “Save the Generation.”

He said that on one hand, by not appointing teachers in schools, merit is being destroyed and the lives of students are being pushed into darkness. On the other hand, by not providing jobs to the unemployed, they are being driven into frustration, after which addictive substances are being placed in their hands. Already, an empire of addiction has spread across the state like a spider’s web, destroying social life in locality after locality. “The attack unleashed by the BJP from all sides is what we are fighting against. The BJP government is deliberately pushing the future generation towards darkness,” he said.

He further stated that whether it is drug trade, terrorism, murder or rape, the leadership behind all these crimes can be traced back to the BJP. In this situation, with the aim of building a bright future, the “Save the Generation” programme has been launched across the state.

On the day, DYFI leaders paid floral tribute to the statue of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar at Drop Gate. Former Ranji cricket team captain Arup Debbarma also paid his tribute. Holding hands, they lit torches and formally inaugurated the “Run for Save the Generation” programme. It was stated that such programmes are extremely important for protecting future generations and that both organisations will continue similar initiatives in the coming days.

With the aim of gifting the next generation a healthy and beautiful future, a well-organised and spirited march set off from Drop Gate, with participants carrying white flags, wearing placards around their necks and sunset caps on their heads. A campaign vehicle led the march, playing the “Save the Generation” song, which attracted considerable public attention.

“With the goal of a sure, beautiful and bright future—of building a state free from addiction, gambling, corruption and terrorism—come, hold hands, you and I together, and build the dawn of a new day.” Responding to this call, the march passed through Bardowali, Milan Sangha, Battala, Melarmath and Post Office Chowmuhani, and concluded its first phase at Kaman Chowmuhani. Although the march was originally scheduled to end in front of Ujjayanta Palace, the leaders said that respecting the administration’s request, they proceeded with around a hundred leaders, activists and supporters to Ujjayanta Palace, where they paid floral tribute to the statues of Khudiram Bose and Masterda Surya Sen, formally concluding the programme.

Addiction and unemployment — these two social evils — are today pushing an entire generation towards destruction. Taking advantage of the lack of employment, frustration and an uncertain future, the darkness of addiction is engulfing the youth. Raising their voices against this situation, DYFI and TYF took to the streets, organising the march along the city’s main roads.

Speaking to the media, Palash Bhowmik said that before coming to power, the BJP had made numerous promises — jobs in every household, jobs through missed calls, 50,000 jobs a year — simply to cross the electoral hurdle. He said the BJP had promised to build a drug-free Tripura, but today the entire state is being submerged in a sea of addiction. There is also a dangerous rise in HIV/AIDS infections. He called upon people from all sections of society to come forward to protect the population from this menace.

Leaders of the youth organisations participating in the march said the government has deliberately failed to create employment opportunities, and drug peddlers are exploiting this failure to push the youth towards destruction. The march raised demands for immediate strict action against drug rackets and for permanent employment opportunities. “If the youth survive, the country will survive. The fight against addiction and unemployment is not just the responsibility of organisations, but of every conscious member of society,” the leaders said. They added that this march was not merely a protest, but a warning — that if action is delayed further, saving the future generation will become increasingly difficult. If the government does not fulfil its responsibilities, they warned, the programme will take on a much larger form in the coming days.

TYF leader Kumud Debbarma said the state government has no intention of providing jobs to the unemployed. Thousands of posts remain vacant, yet neither the state government nor the ADC administration is taking any initiative to fill them. “They are closing government schools and opening liquor shops. This clearly reveals their policy orientation,” he said. (END)