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.
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.
