May 1, International Workingmen's Day, this year came right in the midst of the elections for the 15th Lok Sabha. With abysmally low voter participation, the elections revealed once again the utter disgust of the working people for this system of parliamentary democracy, in which election only serves to strengthen the rule of the big monopoly capitalists over the working people.

Communist Ghadar Party of India holds public rally

In the days preceding May Day, as well as on this day itself, thousands of copies of the party organ People's Voice  carrying the call of the Communist Ghadar Party of India to the Indian working class on May Day 2009, were widely disseminated amongst workers.  

The Communist Ghadar Party of India marked May Day 2009 in Delhi with a public rally in Okhla. At 8:30 a.m., members and supporters of the party gathered in a solemn meeting, where comrade Chandrabhan, veteran working class leader of the party hoisted the red flag in memory of the innumerable sacrifices made by workers in their struggle against capitalist exploitation and for the victory of revolution and socialism.

Comrade Santosh delivered the main speech on this occasion. Saluting the spirit of struggle and sacrifice of the working class, he dwelt on the challenges before the working class in our country at this time. Referring to the current economic crisis, in which lakhs of workers are losing their jobs, while the government is trying to safeguard the profits of the big capitalists with no heed to the plight of the workers, he called on the working class to build a united front with the peasantry and all the oppressed and step up the struggle against the attacks by the bourgeoisie. The struggle of the working class is to overthrow the rule of the bourgeoisie, establish the rule of the workers and peasants and build socialism, he emphasised amidst enthusiastic applause.

In his speech, Comrade Birju Nayak exposed the existing political process which serves only to strengthen the hands of the capitalists, while leaving the workers at the mercy of the political parties that fool them with false promises while actually doing the bidding of the big monopoly capitalists. The struggle of the working class is for a new political process which will ensure political power in the hands of the workers and peasants, he declared.

Comrade Lokesh spoke of the importance of the workers organising in their workplaces and residential areas, to take forward the struggle in defence of their livelihood and rights. The rally was marked by enthusiastic participation of masses of workers from the industrial area.

Workers' organisations hold demonstration and rally in Okhla Industrial Area 

Several workers' organisations got together under the banner of the 'May Day Organising Committee' and held a demonstration and rally on the occasion in the Okhla industrial area. The participating organisations included Mazdoor Ekta Committee, Delhi Leather Karigar Sangathan, Delhi General Mazdoor Front, Delhi Hosiery Workers Union, Krantikari Lok Adhikar Sangathan, All India Nepali Ekta Manch and Inquilabi Mazdoor Kendra. The committee of women's organisations formed to celebrate the centenary of International Women's Day also participated in the program.

Workers from all the organisations gathered at Kalkaji Bus Depot at 11 a.m. The banner of the 'May Day Organising Committee' was hoisted right up in front, following which the various contingents of workers took their place. Under a blazing hot sun, the workers marched for over three hours. Waving red flags and holding aloft placards bearing slogans such as 'Workers of all countries unite!', 'Oppose shifting the burden of the crisis on to the backs of the workers!', 'Down with the attacks on our livelihood and rights!', the demonstration wound its way through the different parts of Okhla Phase 2 Industrial Area, stopping for a brief period in front of a factory where the workers have been waging a militant struggle for the last 18 years. Passing through Tughlakabad extension, the demonstration culminated in a mass rally at a district park in Tughlakabad area.

The rally began with the hoisting of the red flag to commemorate the martyrs who had laid down their lives fighting for the rights of the working class. Workers observed silence for 2 minutes in their memory. Leaders of the participating organisations then ascended the stage to address the gathering.

Comrade Sunil of Delhi General Mazdoor Front greeted the workers on the occasion of May Day and welcomed all to the program.  Accusing the bourgeoisie of using the politics of 'divide and rule' to break the unity of the workers, Comrade Birju Nayak of the Mazdoor Ekta Committee raised the urgent question of restoration of unity of the communist movement, so that the working class, led by its vanguard, can march ahead towards achieving its goal of establishing worker-peasant rule.

Addressing the rally on behalf of the committee to celebrate the centenary of International Women's Day, Sucharita paid tribute to the struggle of the working class all over the world and in our country, to end capitalist exploitation and usher in socialism. The bourgeoisie which is ruling today, she said, is in a minority but manages to continue its rule over the majority, the masses of working people, because it has perfected the system of parliamentary democracy, to fool the workers and subvert their struggles. Workers are made to believe that by voting in elections they can express their will, but in fact this system ensures that workers are kept out of power while real decision making power remains in the hands of the big bourgeoisie. Together with this, the ruling bourgeoisie also organises terrorist attacks on workers to justify even greater suppression of their struggles in the name of counter-terrorism. It organises division of workers on the basis of caste, community, religion, region, political affiliation, etc. While it is the bourgeois ruling class that is responsible for the current economic crisis, its victims are the workers, lakhs of whom are being thrown out of jobs. Women are among the worst victims of this rule of the bourgeoisie, facing in addition, sexual exploitation at the workplace and in the society. The dual exploitation of women directly serves the interests of the bourgeoisie in its drive for super profits. Today India is considered among the richest nations of the world, while widespread poverty, malnutrition, rural indebtedness and illiteracy continue to plague the masses of our people, she said and called upon the working class to unite with the peasantry and all the oppressed and step up the struggle to overthrow the rule of the bourgeoisie and to establish the rule of the workers and peasants.

Others who addressed the rally included Anuj of Inquilabi Mazdoor Kendra, activist and leader of Delhi Hosiery Workers Union, Balbir of Krantikari Lok Adhikar Sangathan, Raju Sharma of All India Nepali Ekta Manch, Shanti Swarup, founder member of Delhi Leather Karigar Sangathan and Mohd. Atik, leader of DLKS. Cultural activists of participating organisations sang revolutionary songs hailing the struggle of the workers. The May Day rally concluded in a militant atmosphere with the singing of the Internationale.

Trade Unions celebrate May Day in Central Delhi

Thousands of workers associated with different trade unions and workers’ organisations gathered at the historic Ram Lila Maidan in Delhi on the afternoon of May 1, 2009, with banners of their respective organisations, red flags as well as placards denouncing the bourgeoisie's attacks on the livelihood and rights of the workers.

Youth activists of the Communist Ghadar Party of India greeted the workers with the latest issue of Mazdoor Ekta Lehar, the organ of the party, which called upon the workers, on May Day, to build the worker-peasant front to capture political power and take Indian society out of the present crisis. Workers eagerly received the paper and many of them had interesting discussions with the party comrades.

The May Day procession, from Ram Lila Maidan to Town Hall in the heart of the old city was a powerful demonstration of the strength of the working class. Amidst a sea of red flags, the air reverberated with slogans condemning the government for its attacks on the rights of labour and calling upon the working class to unite in struggle.

At the Town Hall, the workers congregated in a mass rally, under the banner of the Joint May Day celebration committee, consisting of the Mazdoor Ekta Committee, AITUC, AICCTU, AIFTU, CITU, TUCC, UTUC, AIUTUC, AIBEA, AIIEA, NFBE and others. The presidium, consisting of members of the participating organizations, took its place on the stage and representatives of the various organizations addressed the workers. They denounced the government for safeguarding the super profits of the Indian and foreign monopolies while attacking the rights of the working class. They called on the workers to unite in defence of their livelihood and rights.

On behalf of Mazdoor Ekta Committee Comrade Birju Nayak addressed the workers at the rally. Exposing how in the present system, the government and all the political parties of the ruling class safeguard the interests of the big capitalists and keep the working people out of power, he called on the workers to overcome the politics of division and unite under the banner of establishing worker-peasant rule by putting an end to the system of capitalist exploitation.