DYFI agitation hits normal life

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, OCT. 1. Activists of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) took out marches and blocked roads in various parts of the State in protest against the hike in bus fares and the ``freeze on recruitments to Government service.''

In Thiruvananthapuram, the Federation's road blockade stir at Thampanoor was inaugurated by the DYFI State president, Mr. P. R. Vasanthan.

Addressing the DYFI activists, he said the present ``reactionary'' State Government is one that questions the right of Kerala's youth to have a living. The DYFI would ``resist and defeat'' Mr. Antony's moves to push the State towards lawlessness by denying employment to the youth while initiating such ``anti- people'' policies such as the hike in bus fares, he said.

In his address, the former all-India joint-secretary of the DYFI, Mr. Kadakampally Surendaran, said Mr. Antony should not be under the impression that he can rule Kerala by trampling upon the rights of the students and the youth. If Mr. Antony continues in the fashion, the DYFI would organise a strong ``people's defence'' against the UDF Government. ``This agitation is to put the UDF on notice,'' he added. The member of the DYFI State Executive, Mr. P. Rajendra Kumar, and the district president, Mr. Karamana Hari, were among the leaders who addressed the activists. The procession commenced at the Attakkulangara Junction and the activists later courted arrest.

The district DYFI leadership thanked all its activists and the youth for making their march and road blockade a success.

DYFI activists took out processions and blocked roads at three places in Ernakulam district, protesting against the hike in bus fares and the ban on recruitment.

The blockade at Kacheripady was inaugurated by Mr. T. Sasidharan, State secretary of the DYFI. Hundreds of activists came in vehicles to the venue. The blockade which began at 11 a.m. ended at 11-45 a.m. Traffic was thrown out of gear in the city from 10- 30 a.m.

Similar blockades were held near the Aluva Railway Station and at Perumbavoor. A procession taken out by the activists turned violent near the private bus stand at Aluva. DYFI men broke the windscreen of a flying squad police jeep there.

The DYFI Kozhikode unit organised a massive rally and picketed the busy Palayam Junction there in protest against the hike in bus fare.

Hundreds of youths participated in the rally which started from Muthalakulam and culminated at the Palayam Junction. The protesters chose the busy junction for the picketing in the morning. They shouted slogans against the UDF Government for its anti-people policies.

The DYFI district president, Mr. N.V. Balakrishnan, inaugurated the agitation. The police had to arrest a majority of the protesters blocking the traffic. Later they were released on bail.

It was a day of agitations in Pathanamthitta today. The district headquarters here became a venue for seven separate agitations by different parties today. The road blockade by the DYFI, the SFI call to boycott classes, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha's (BJYM) protest march, a picketing by the Socialist Unity Centre of India, all against the bus fare hike, a march by the AITUC and the CITU workers to the Assistant Excise Commissioner's Office, the Artisans' Union march and the dharna staged by the LDF municipal councillors were the seven agitations that hit normal life in the town, at least for a few hours.

Scores of commuters and passengers were caught in the DYFI- sponsored road blockade. A SFI strike against the bus fare hike affected the normal functioning of many educational institutions in the district.

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