Thiruvananthapuram: DYFI delegates are demonstrating a readiness to question and correct internal wrongdoings, albeit late. At the recent DYFI District Conference held in the capital, severe criticism was directed at Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as well as the organization’s reckless protest strategies. The corrective tone adopted by the delegates marks a shift away from blind alignment with leadership decisions.
Delegates openly asserted that the violence targeting Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials and its aftermath were unbecoming of a responsible youth organization. A key consensus among participants was that street demonstrations driven purely by emotional impulse have brought public embarrassment to the movement.
Those participating in the discussions noted that extreme protests—including those staged in front of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s residence—could have been entirely avoided. Unnecessary and aggressive demonstrations were deemed unsuited to the organization’s principles. Delegates pointed out that the stubbornness and arbitrary actions of senior leaders have forced grassroots workers into severe legal trouble.
The conference highlighted the plight of several impoverished cadres who joined protests upon leadership calls, got entangled in legal cases, and remain incarcerated without bail. Grassroots members expressed strong indignation over a pattern where cadre end up in prison while leaders seek refuge in safe havens.
Similar sharp criticisms against the leadership surfaced not only in Thiruvananthapuram but also in other district conferences, including Kottayam. Youth leaders across various districts delivered a clear message that blindly justifying every decision of the party and the government will no longer continue.
Delegates further criticized several stances taken by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, arguing they have caused setbacks for both the party and the administration in the public eye. Failures within the Home Department and police negligence were brought into question. Discussions underscored a firm demand to curb the arbitrary conduct of leaders operating under the shield of power.
This shift within DYFI is notable given past reluctance to criticize the party or Pinarayi Vijayan. By raising these issues, the youth leaders are asserting their capacity to ask tough questions as a politically conscious movement.
An understanding is spreading among rank-and-file workers that they need not ruin their lives by blindly joining unnecessary agitations called by leaders. The growing awareness that ordinary youth suffer the brunt of prolonged court cases and ruined livelihoods is stirring friction with the leadership.
Across these conference sessions, the overriding message was a refusal to serve as sacrifices for the leadership’s political agendas and impulsiveness. The willingness of lower units to challenge and correct those leading them opens up a new internal political debate.
This emerging self-criticism within the youth wing has put the CPI(M) state leadership on the defensive, with the evolving stance of cadres expected to reverberate through upcoming party conferences.
