WHEN WORKERS of the world mark con May 1 this year, the Haryana government won’t organise any function. “We have decided not to celebrate Majdoor Diwas on May 1. We will observe it on Vishwakarma Day, a day after Diwali,” said Haryana’s Labour Minister Nayab Singh Saini Thursday while talking about the schemes of the labour department for the welfare of workers. Asked if such a decision had been taken at the national level, the minister said, “No, we (Haryana government) have taken this decision. There will be nothing from our side (to observe Labour Day on May 1).” Justifying the decision, Saini said, “Vishwakarma is creator of the world. They are our great ancestors. And, our aim is do something in their memory.”

The minister further said, “This is the golden jubilee year of the state. This year, on the occasion of Vishwakarma Day, we will organise a big function to distribute sewing machines to 60,000 women workers registered with the labour department. It will cost about Rs 27 crore to the state exchequer.”

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (Citu) has criticised the move. “They (BJP government) want to divert the attention of labourers from the real issues. The intentions of the government are not good,” said Satbir Singh, president of Citu’s Haryana unit. “There is history of May 1 which is observed to recall the struggle of the workers. It’s the occasion to recall about rights of workers like fixed hours of duty,” he continued. “Whatever they say, the workers and employees of Haryana will celebrate May 1 as Majdoor Diwas,” added Satbir.

However, the BJP-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh Haryana unit president, Jung Bahadur Yadav, justified the decision to observe Vishwakarma Day as Labour Day. “ It was lord Vishwakarma who had given the slogan of work is worship. For Indian workers, Vishwakarma Day is Labour Day,” he said.

Haryana Congress spokesman Ran Singh Mann said, “The workers of the entire world celebrate Majdoor Diwas on May 1. In Congress government, the ministers and officers used to participate in the seminars of workers to congratulate them on this day. The government functionaries used to listen to their grievances. The Congress government used to celebrate Vishwakarma Day separately. They (BJP government) now want to divide labourers also.”

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