New Delhi: Sex workers in Sonagachi, Kolkata's biggest red light area, took out a Mashal rally on Saturday demanding social rights, news agency ANI reported.
The Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee, also known as the "Unstoppable Women's Synthesis Committee," or simply Durbar with over 50,000 sex workers and members of their communities, organized the rally.
Numerous sex workers paraded down the streets of Kolkata on May Day to press for their demands. They said their profession is just like any other profession and thus they sought the status of the regular worker.
"Our work is constitutional & our children need their mothers to have the status of a regular worker," Bishakha Laskar, Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee president was quoted by ANI on its official Twitter handle.
Around 15,000 sex workers live in Sonagachi, a booming red-light district. It is believed that there are 70,000 sex workers in West Bengal alone.
Despite the fact that prostitution is illegal in India, it is a thriving underground sector.
According to voluntary organisations, there are around two million female sex workers.
Significance Of May Day
Every year on May 1st, International Labour Day is commemorated. May Day is also known as Labour Day or Workers' Day.
Labour Day was first observed in India in 1923 by the Labour Kisan Party, which organised the May Day celebrations in Chennai (then Madras).
Every year, Labour Day is celebrated to honour the labour movement's hard work and accomplishments.
This is a single day dedicated just to the working class. It is observed on various days across the world.
However, it is observed on May 1 in the majority of nations.