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The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has urged the working class leaders of the present day to draw inspiration from the peoples like Shri Narayan Meghaji Lokhande and make use of the power of the Trade Union pride and committed to the welfare of all people of the society. Recalling the contribution made by Shri Narayan Meghaji Lokhande towards Labour Movement the Prime Minister stated that Shri Lokhande championed the cause of women, especially widows, dalits, minorities and other weaker sections of the society. His trade unionism represented the best of the social, democratic and liberal consciousness of his times. The Prime Minister said this while releasing a Commemorative Postage Stamp on Shri Narayan Meghaji Lokhande, here today. The stamp is in the denomination of rupees five, brought out by the Department of Posts. The function was attended by several Union Ministers and Members of Parliament.
Born in the year 1848 in Thane, Lokhande started his career with the Railways and Postal Department after which he joined the Mandavi Textile Mills as a Store Keeper. It was this hard and struggled life which he underwent during his Mill-life days which made him to fight for ensuring basic rights of the workers and against all forms of exploitation. His tireless efforts resulted in the establishment of the first Labour union under the banner of 'Mills Hands Association' in 1884. Lokhande rose to the level of getting an appointment in the Factory Labour Commission which was established in 1890. Following this, the Factory Act of 1891 came into being w.e.f. January 1892. All these activities gave him recognition as the Father of Indian Labour Movement.
Shri Dayanidhi Maran, Minister of Communications & Information Technology, Shri Prithviraj Chavan, Minister of State in the PMO, Shri A.B. Bardhan, General Secretary, CPI and Shri Prakash Karat, CPI (M) also spoke on the occasion.
RM/AMA-030505 Narayan Meghaji Lokhande Stamp
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