Chennai, May 1 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin on Monday said that the DMK has always stood for the welfare of the working community and added that no one could damage the relationship of the party with the workers.
He was speaking after inaugurating the May Day celebrations of the Labour Progressive Federation affiliated to the DMK at Salem.
The DMK scion hoisted the flag of the Labour Progressive Federation at the new bus stand in Salem on Monday.
While extending his greetings to the workers on May Day, Udhayanidhi said that May Day was first celebrated in the country on May 1, 1923 in then Madras by M. Singaravelu who founded the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan.
The young leader said, “Just like Tamil Nadu leads in many areas in the country now, the state 100 years ago was guiding the country in May Day celebrations.”
He said that it was the DMK government-led by M. Karunanidhi that declared holiday on May 1 in Tamil Nadu and added that several welfare schemes for labourers were introduced by the DMK patriarch. He also said that a separate Labour Welfare Department was formed by Karunanidhi in 1969.
Udhayanidhi said that in the past one year, 1.35 lakh workers were given welfare assistance to the tune of Rs 247 crore and added that the DMK government from 2006 to 2011 established 36 welfare boards for unorganised workers in the state.
He said that the recent bill amending the Factories Act of 1948 extending working hours for selected industries drew huge criticism and Chief Minister Stalin had withdrawn that on Monday, International Labour Day.
–IANS
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