The following report on various May Day events and speeches in Nepal comes from The Red Star.

May day observe

1 May 2012

Kathmandu, May 1: The 123rd International Workers’ Day, which is also known as May Day, was celebrated by organizing various programmes in Nepal on Tuesday. Trade unions such as Both the factions of Unified Communist Party of Nepal Maoist affiliated All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF), General Federation of Nepalese Trade Union (GEFONT) and Nepal Trade Union Congress (NTUC) organised rallies and mass assemblies in capital Kathmandu to mark the Workers’ Day Sunday. May Day is observed every year on May 1 across the world as a symbol of international workers solidarity. It is also a national holiday in Nepal.

Addressing the mass ralley at Basantapur, Senior Vice Chairman of Maoist Mohan Baidya ‘Kiran’ has accused party Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ deceiving workers and peasants.

“Our leader Prachanda has deceived us who has waged and lead the People’s war, turned into puppet of foreign powers Nepali, ” He added, ” We have to united for the people’s rights and if only people’s power has been ensured we’ll be united.”

General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’ accused Dr. Baburam Bhattarai had ordered his securities to beat up him during rally demonstrated against Chairman Prachanda and Bhattarai. Along with three other lefties party, Kiran faction has organized the mass ralley here in capital Kathmandu. Meanwhile, addressing the mass ralley at Khulamancha, Maoist Chairman Prachanda appealed senior vice chairman Kiran to be united in the party.

Prachanda and Baburam faction hardly manage the ralley and there were poor numbers of workers took part in the programme.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai has said that he will not resign from his post. Talking briefly to media persons at the Biratnagar Airport on Tuesday, he said that it is meaningless to spread rumors of his resignation at a time when all are serious on taking the peace and constitution writing to logical conclusion. He said his government had taken big risks to move forward the peace process toward conclusion and therefore should be allowed to remain in office until the new constitution is promulgated. “The present government took a big risk to forward the peace process,” Bhattarai said while addressing a gathering of the Federation of All Nepal Trade Union in east Nepal. He condemned the incident of bomb explosion that took place in Janakpur on Monday and said that the government will declare the deceased as martyrs and will provide rightful compensation to the victim’s families. PM said that the Janakpur incident was a criminal incident and suspected that these types of incidents might occur until May 27, the deadline for the promulgation of the new constitution. He added that he has directed bodies concerned to beef up security in view of the possibility of such incidents.

-Upesh Maharjan