Amid a controversy over dropping International Workers Rights Day or May Day from the list of state government holidays, Tripura chief minister Biplab Deb has told government employees that they do not need a holiday on the day as they are not “labourers or workers”.
“Are you people in secretariat labourers? Am I a labourer? No, I am the chief minister. You view official files. Are you working in industrial sector? No, you don’t. Then why do you require holiday on that day? What do you want to mourn?” Deb said at a programme of Gazetted Officers’ Sangh in Agartala on Sunday.
Last week, the BJP government in Tripura had decided to designate May 1 as a restricted holiday.
Deb explained how May Day is for the workers and that’s why, the BJP-IPFT government has decided to give a holiday to those in the industrial sector.
He said that since it is now a restricted holiday, employees may still opt for it, but the state government will make a note of those do so.
“If you want to take leave, then you may. And we will also keep a watch on those who are taking holidays on that day,” he warned.
{{/usCountry}}“If you want to take leave, then you may. And we will also keep a watch on those who are taking holidays on that day,” he warned.
{{/usCountry}}The opposition CPI(M) had demanded that the government withdraw its decision on the leave.
“The day has been a holiday in the state since the first Left Front came to power in 1978. We demand the government to withdraw their decision,” said CPM leader Haripada Das.