Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 02 May 2025
May Day was observed with fervour across the Andaman & Nicobar Islands on Thursday, with rallies, public meetings, and worker mobilisations organised by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and its affiliated bodies.
In Sri Vijaya Puram, a major rally began from Delanipur Junction and passed through key points of the town before culminating in a public meeting at Tiranga Park. Hundreds of workers participated in the procession, which was led by R. Surendran Pillai (President), B. Chandrachoodan (General Secretary), D. Ayyappan and B.C. Bhattacharjee (Vice Presidents), along with secretaries P. Sathyapal, Anand Rajan, and M. Yugandar of the CITU State Committee. Members of the Non-Gazetted Government Officers’ Association also joined the rally.
Speaking at the gathering, CITU State General Secretary B. Chandrachoodan criticised the BJP-led central government, accusing it of implementing anti-worker policies over the past eleven years. He highlighted the historical struggle of workers in Chicago in 1886 for an eight-hour workday and condemned recent efforts to extend legal working hours to 12 per day. Other speakers included R. Surendran Pillai, S.P. Kalairajan (Secretary), and Nazreen Begum (Vice President) of the Non-Gazetted Government Officers’ Association.
Across the islands, similar rallies and meetings were organised:
• In Campbell Bay, the rally at Campbell Bay Bazaar was led by CITU’s Dhandapani, Shiva of ASNVMS, and Nithin of BKU, who also addressed the crowd.
• At Katchal, leaders Rajesh, Balamurugan, and Thyagarajan of the ASNVMS Katchal Branch led the rally.
• In Swaraj Dweep (Havelock), a large meeting at Havelock Bazaar was addressed by Suben Bachar of the A&N Forest Department Workers Union.
• Baratang’s rally at Nilambur was led by Daniel Aint (Vice President, CITU State Committee) and Jayakumar (Secretary, Kadamtala-Baratang Zonal Committee).
• At Kadamtala, the rally at Kadamtala Bazaar was led by Shipra Bala, Secretary of the CITU State Committee.
• In Rangat, the rally at Rangat Bazaar culminated in a public meeting addressed by Projit Kr Sarkar (President), C. Karuppaiah (Secretary, CITU Rangat Zonal Committee), and Ranjan Mondal (PRI Karmachari Sangh), with senior leader Purushothaman presiding.
• Betapur in Middle Andaman saw a rally led by PK Khalid (CITU State Committee Secretary), S.R. Mridha (Secretary, AIKS), Sarojini Purthy (President, A&N ASHA Workers Union), and Rahul Dev Mridha (President, DYFI State Committee).
• In Mayabunder, the rally was led by M. Murugan (Secretary, CITU Mayabunder Zonal Committee), along with Javed Mohammed and Noorduddin of ASNVMS.
• Despite heavy rain, workers in Diglipur marched from Diglipur Bazaar under the leadership of Sunil Bepari (Vice President), Barun Biswas (Secretary, CITU Diglipur Zonal Committee), N. Moorthy (North Andaman Public Works Union), and Shivkumar (PRI Karmachari Sangh).