Thanks for sharing the article. Very informative!! For us it is another break from office. Though it does not matter as a holiday for me as Schools are already closed for summer vacation. But my husband looks forward to it as a break between the week

I think the actual laborer especially in unorganized sector doesn't even know that "May Day" even exists but the highly paid organised sector is getting a holiday for protesting against their employers (especially the public sector) for no real reason. But you can't blame them because they know that they can blackmail any government being an organised vote bank. As you said that all this comes with a red flag with Hansia and Hathoda from communist parties, the number one supporters of all riots and unrest in different parts of the country.     

No Sunil, actually the workers are fully aware of the first of May being celebrated as a Labour Day, at least in Maharashtra where all the industrial  and other sector workers get a holiday. The rules regarding the Labour laws are stringently followed and any industry that fails to give a holiday on this day is made to pay fines etc. Only the people in IT and IT-enabled industries such as BPO do not get off on this day.

On another note, the 1st of May is also celebrated as Maharashtra Day here as it was on this day in 1952 that an independent Maharashtra state was founded after much struggle.

I agree with you but what I meant was the unorganised sector workers like the ones working in agriculture, small scale industry, in the shops, as domestic help etc. There is a long list of such workers who do not know about May Day. I agree the organised sector attached with labour unions are taking all the benefits. 

I was not aware that it is Maharashtra day as well....It is also the birth day of Manna Dey , my favorite singer. I remember meeting him in 2013 when he was ailing and very depressed after he lost his wife Kalyani. His house was/is close to my sisters in Bangalore . We spoke a little but he would go silent after a while and I did not have the heart to ask him for an autograph or click a picture with him, he looked so heart broken. But those memories of meeting him are precious to me and my sister. He was in fact hospitalised within a week and breathed his last after a few months.

I think these days it is normally observed as a holiday or relaxation for workers & it is not taken up for such activities to put forth their demands. But I think it has been a breakthrough day for all the working class for their benefits, marking their importance & their effort on the Calender.

Very nice article

usha manohar wrote:

I was not aware that it is Maharashtra day as well....It is also the birth day of Manna Dey , my favorite singer. I remember meeting him in 2013 when he was ailing and very depressed after he lost his wife Kalyani. His house was/is close to my sisters in Bangalore . We spoke a little but he would go silent after a while and I did not have the heart to ask him for an autograph or click a picture with him, he looked so heart broken. But those memories of meeting him are precious to me and my sister. He was in fact hospitalised within a week and breathed his last after a few months.

Thanks for sharing about Manna da. I am also fan of this great classical singer. For me he was best one classical singer of Bolloywood. I like his song, Pucho Na Kaise Maine Rain Betai and many more.