Women bikers join Rajasthan May Day eve motorcycle rally

JAIPUR: It was an idea that struck a gathering of workers at Rajsamand rather late on April 29 – that a motorcycle rally through parts of the state, in which women too rode bikes – could spread the message about Labour Day.

May 1 is observed as Labour Day across the world, and originated in the movement that ensured that work was for eight hours each day, so that workers could get eight hours of recreation and eight hours of rest. On April 30, workers associated with the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sanghatan began a motorcycle rally at 9 am. The rally began at the MKSS site of Devdungri, where the movement began from a small mud hut. It went through Barar, where rallyists stopped to garland the statue of freedom fighter

Raju Rawat

, then proceeded to

Baggad Toll

and Devgarh.

The rally will converge at

Ahimsa Circle

in Bhim. Baba Adhav, social activist from Maharashtra who has won the Times of India Lifetime Achievement Award for standing with headload workers and other others, aiding in education of their children and ensuring fair treatment of unskilled workers, will address the gathering.