CHENNAI: Reiterating his government’s commitment to the welfare of labourers, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday paid tributes to workers at the May Day Park in Chennai on the occasion of Labour Day.
Addressing the gathering, Stalin recalled that it was former CM C N Annadurai who first introduced May 1 as a paid holiday in Tamil Nadu after the DMK came to power in 1967.
“Subsequently, former CM M Karunanidhi’s regime enacted a legislation to make May Day a statutory holiday,” he said.
Stalin also highlighted Karunanidhi’s efforts during VP Singh’s tenure as prime minister which led to May Day being declared a paid holiday across all the states in the country.
Outlining the present DMK regime’s initiatives, Stalin said that over the past four years, 28.87 lakh unorganised workers have received welfare assistance worth Rs 2,461 crore. Separate welfare boards have been constituted for gig workers and for workers in the traditional ‘uppalam’ (salt pan) industry.
In a statement, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said, “May Day is the historic day when the oppressed and enslaved working class, long denied their rights, broke the chains of bondage through centuries of struggle and reclaimed their rightful entitlements and welfare.”
BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran stated that their (labour force) tireless efforts continue to lead the nation on the path of progress.
VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan said, “Let all of us, including the Indian working class and all labourers, unite and pledge to fight for our fundamental rights and livelihoods.”