PUNJAB GOVT ATTEMPTS TO CRUSH DISSENT & PEOPLE'S STRUGGLES THROUGH DRACONIAN LAWS

Punjab Govt has passed four anti-people black-laws through its last Assembly session in October, which is awaiting governor's green signal to be put on effect. These laws are nothing but out to silence dissent in the name of combating terrorism where as ironically Punjab has no such threats in reality as the top police officials frequently claim with pride. But the people of Punjab mainly the working class people to whom these laws will have a gravely impact are not the mute spectators. By now it has become clear to them the wicked intention of the capitalist ruling class and the Fascist state to suppress any voice raised against their barbaric atrocities. 

On 20^th Jan Punjab, mainly Ludhiana has witnessed a huge demonstration against these draconian laws. About 40 different people’s organization consisting of workers, peasants and govt employees jointly took to the streets and raised a militant voice against these laws which also implies that it won’t be easy for the state govt to ultimately put it into effect. In this course they also staged a protest in front of DC’s office in every district. The parties and groups spear heading the demonstration in Ludhiana are Karkhana Mazdoor Union (Factory Worker’s Union), Textile Mazdoor Union and Naojawan Bharat Sabha. The leader of these unions have equivocally warned the govt and administration that if any of the protesters is arrested and tortured while protesting, they will not let the govt go with it and also warned of militant agitation and cordoning of the police stations with millions of workers and laborers if needed. The other groups have also pledged their solidarity with the agitating people of Punjab till the end.

The laws with all its tentacles are as follows.

The Punjab (Prevention of Damage to Public & Private Property) Act – 2010, under this law, the protest demonstrations, marches, rallies etc, without prior permission from the District Magistrate or Police Commissioner is completely banned. Even in case permission is granted, the organizers have to give an undertaking to the concerned SHO, failing which will attract 2 years prison term plus fine. The route and slogans has to be approved by the police while lathis-even for carrying the flags shall be forbidden. The police will be authorized not only to get the rallies, demonstrations etc video-graphed, but will also have the power to get photographs, video-graphs etc from press-persons, which shall be used as an un-rebuttable evidence against the protesters in the courts. If the police complains of a damage to any public or private property by the protesters, in the course of such activity, the protesters shall get five year jail term plus Rs.20,000/- fine and if a damage is alleged to have been caused by fire or explosive substance, the jail term will be raised to seven years including a fine of Rs. 70000/-. An administrative officer shall be appointed as a competent authority to assess the damage and extract the compensation from the organizers of the protest activity. If one can’t or refuse to pay, the amount shall be recovered by auctioning their properties. All the offenses under this Act shall be non-bailable and cognizable by any Head Constable of the police. The onus to prove that they have not caused any damage to public or private property shall be upon the protesters, in view of the video-graphic evidence produced by the police.

Punjab Special Protection Group Act-2010, through this the state is going to constitute an elite armed force, equipped with ultra-modern weapons, gadgets and advanced training, for "combating anti-national forces" and for "providing proximate security to highly threatened persons and their families" to be so declared by the State Govt. The Act also considers any person or organization which violates the above said law as “anti-national”. If one smokes in public or violates any traffic law, he/she will be considered as “anti-national” under this Act and the Special Protection Group will have all the power to proceed against him. Like the Armed Forces Special Power Act, the members of Special Protection Group have been given complete immunity from any civil, criminal or other legal proceedings for the acts done by them in the course of their duty. The State Govt, through a notification shall authorize the extent to which the Special Protection Group can use force in dealing with so called “anti-national” forces or persons. It can be shoot at sight also. As the “highly threatened person” requiring proximate security for himself and his family members is to be designated by the State Govt, it can provide such security to any person who is target of people’s ire or a mass agitation. Reading this Act in conjunction with the provisions of the Punjab (Prevention of Damage to Public & Private Property ) Act-2010, leaves no doubt that this Act is primarily aimed at crushing the people’s struggle through armed forces of the State, operating under complete immunity from any legal action.

Punjab Govt passed two more laws amending S.153-A & 295-A of the Indian Penal Code and some provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code, through which the said offenses have been made non-bailable, triable by Sessions Court and the sentence has been enhanced from 3 years to 10 years. The Court is bound to award a minimum of 3 years sentence in all cases of convictions under these sections. S.295-A deals with offenses against religion, nay the blasphemy. If any one complains that you have injured his religious feelings or insulted his religion, you shall be charged under S.295-A. No anticipatory bail is to be allowed. In Pakistan Penal Code, they have introduced S. 295-C, under which death sentence has been provided for insulting Prophet Mohamed. Akali-BJP Govt has increased the punishment for blasphemy from 2 years imprisonment to 10 years and could be developed further to death sentence. A few months ago dramatist Kirti Kirpal and his entire team was booked under S.295 by Bathinda Police on a complaint by a VHP activist. Mr. Megh Raj Mittar, of Tarksheel Society (Rationalist Society) is also facing a threat to be implicated under this law for having written a scientific article on Cow’s Urine. These laws are also used or misused by the political parties in power to secure their vote-banks.

It is highly shameful for the democratic values to which our politicians so fondly swear that such draconian laws were passed by the Punjab Legislative Assembly within a few minutes, without contesting any debate. The Congress as always being wickedly diplomatic, made a verbal protest and rather walked out to facilitate passage of these bills. No political party worth the name launched any protest against these Acts. Here lies the conspiracy.

Actually the capitalist ruling class is well aware of the fact that due to the economic oppressive policies of market liberalization, globalization and privatisation the working class people are already boiling in anger and frustration as they are chronically being stripped of all their basic rights related to labor, food, home, medical, education, employment etc. Data shows 83% of total Indian population is reeling under Rs 20/day expenditure. They know the situation is in the offing which could ultimately lead to a militant mass agitation against the state and its ruling class. And it is their crooked intelligence which asked them to safeguard themselves and their interests in advance. Hence are these laws, to strengthen army and administration (the most useful state apparatus for oppression) to nip any chance of mass revolt in the bud. I wonder how hard it would be for them to realise in near future that the laws, bullets and batons are not enough to suppress the voice of resistance. It can hardly delay but revolt is inevitable. History too suggests the same.

 

A magnificent victory of the power loom workers of Ludhiana

The power loom workers of Ludhiana’s Gaushala, Kashmir Nagar and Madhopuri areas gained a magnificent victory on the 15th day (30th September) of their strike under the leadership of the Karkhana Mazdoor Union (KMU) .The factory owners had to relent under the combined strength of the workers.  A representative group of the owners of 26 factories held a meeting with the workers’ representatives for negotiations in presence of the Assistant Labour Commissioner and finally they agreed to sign a written agreement. As per the agreement a hike of 11-12 percent in the piece rate/salary has been promised for the different categories of power loom workers. The agreement would be implemented in all the 59 factories whose workers were participating in the strike. After the signing of the agreement the workers decided to call of their 15 day long strike and to join the work from 1st October.

This is the third phase of the successful strikes of the power loom workers of Ludhiana under the leadership of the Karkhana Mazdoor Union (KMU). Earlier the workers of the 42 power loom factories of Shaktinagar, Tibba road forced the factory owners to accept to their demands after 8 day long strike from 24th August to 31st August. This was followed by another successful strike in Jindal Textile factory. In the history of last 18 years of Ludhiana’s labour movement it is the first occasion when the workers have achieved a worthwhile success against the combined might of the factory owners. There has been a new awakening among the workers of Ludhiana after these recent successes. Much more significant than the monetary hike is the fact that the workers have now managed to form their militant organisation. It is the organization which is the main weapon with the workers for ensuring that the agreement is properly implemented and also it would act as a platform in future for uniting the workers on the various issues affecting their life and livelihood.

With revolutionary greetings,

Lakhwinder,
Secretary, Karkhana Mazdoor Union
Ludhiana

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Ludhiana power loom workers’ strike enters 14th day

The strike of the power loom workers of Ludhiana’s Gaushala, Kashmir Nagar and Madhopuri areas under the leadership of Karkhana Mazdoor Union (KMU) entered 14 day today. Yesterday (on 28^th September), the striking workers dedicated the 13^th day of their strike to 103^rd birth day of martyr Bhagat Singh. After the inconclusive dialogue with the Assistant Labour Commissioner on 27^th September, the workers of 7 other power loom factories have also decided to join the strike. With this, the workers of 59 factories are on strike now.

Coming under the pressure of the strike, the factory owners conducted a meeting in Gaushala on the evening of 28^th September. It is learnt that the meeting witnessed a fierce altercation and even though majority of the owners were in favour of a compromise, some powerful factory owners ensured that a consensus could not be reached.

Today on the 14^th day of strike the workers conducted a meeting at Tuda ground, Chandigarh road from 10 am to 5:30 pm. It was decided in the meeting that tomorrow (on 30^th September) the workers, along with their family members, would organize a huge demonstration at the Labour Commissoner's office. Despite the long struggle, the workers are not showing any sign of fatigue and their spirit is high. They insist that they would go back to work only when their legitimate demands are met.

Contact for further information:

Rajwinder – 098886 55663, Lakhwinder – 096461 50249

Email: lakhwinder0143@yahoo.co.in

Office: Karkhana Mazdoor Union, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Pustkalaya, Gali No.5, Lakshman Nagar, Gyaspura, Ludhiana, Punjab

The coverage of the Ludhiana strike in some of the national dailies can be read at the following links:

http://epaper.livemint.com/ArticleImage.aspx?article=29_09_2010_004_005&mode=1

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100928/ldh.htm#cri

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/mill-workers-take-protest-to-labour-commissioners-office/689169/0

http://www.cmemarkets.com/v3/2010/09/29/series-of-industrial-strikes-hit-ludhianas-powerloom-sector/ 

The Ongoing Struggle of Ludhiana Power Loom Workers: http://sanhati.com/excerpted/2755/

http://radicalnotes.com/journal/2010/09/20/the-struggle-of-ludhiana-power-loom-workers/

Decisive strike at labour office today Strike to be carried on till demands are met

The struggle of the power loom workers of Gaushala, Kashmir Nagar, Madhopuri of Ludhiana 

Decisive strike at labour office today

   Reaching no conclusion after eleven days of strike in more than fifty power loom factories of Ludhiana's Gaushala, Kashmir Nagar and Madhopuri areas the workers in the leadership of Karkhana Mazdoor Union organised a big meeting in front of Vardhman Mill yesterday which was attended by more than a thousand workers of different areas. It was decided in the meeting that a strike shall be called at the labour office today (September 27) which shall not be called off until the demands of the workers are met even if the strikers have to spend the night at the labour office.

Rajwinder, President Karkhana Mazdoor Union, said that the immorality of the labour office has reached its limit and they have no regard for their constituinal duties. The workers have been protesting for the last 11 days and their demands are very little and legitimate. There has been no significant increase in their wages for past 10-12 years while cost of living has gone up many times. The profits earned by owners at the expense of the workers have been soaring high but they are not willing to give a penny to the toiling workers. The workers live like slaves in this independent country whose rulers take great pride in calling it the biggest democracy of the world. While the owners only care for their profits the labour office is even less concerned about the condition of the workers. The labour officers shamelessly take the side of owners in every dispute between the owners and the workers. Rajwinder brought out the contrasting fact that the representatives of the people (Members of Parliament) recently voted to increase their salary by more than 300 per cent but they do not wish to give the majority of people living in wretched conditions even a rupee more. He said that enough was enough and the workers were not ready to tolerate it any more. They will not relent until their demands are fulfilled.

The meeting in front the Vardhman Mill today was attended by representatives of Naujawan Bharat Sabha, Moulder and Steel Worker's Union, Lok Ekta Sangthan, Mazdoor Chetana Manch, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan), D.I.F., D.T.F., AITUC and INTUC and they promised to provide every support to the strike of the power loom workers of Gaushala, Kashmir Nagar and Madhopuri areas of Ludhiana and announced their participation in the strike to be held today at the labour office. Rajwinder said that now no factory owner has the courage to suppress the striking workers any more. 

Released by Lakhwinder, Mobile: 096461 50249 

Secretary, Karkhana Mazdoor Union

Ludhiana power loom workers strike enters into 9th day -- talks with owners remain inconclusive as of day 8

Power loom workers demonstrating in front of the Vardhman Mill, September 23, 2010

    

The strike of hundreds of power loom workers of Ludhiana's Gaushala, Kashmir Nagar and Madhopuri areas is still in progress. The round of conversations held with factory owners in presence of labour officials attained no results. The workers are demonstrating in front of the Vardhman Mill (Chandigarh Road) of Ludhiana. Rajwinder, president of Karkhana Mazdoor Union said today that there is great division among the factory owners and they could not reach a common understanding. They are more worried by the fact that if they bow to the demands of the workers today it will boost the confidence of the workers in their organisation and unity which will prove harmful for them in the long run. He said that the factory owners will have to submit to the demands of the workers. The workers' morale was high and they were determined to win their rights. 

    The strike of the power loom workers of Gaushala, Kashmir Nagar and Madhopuri areas of Ludhiana started from September 16. It started with the workers of 22 factories and now there are workers of about 52 factories participating in it. The workers of these factories and in general all factories of Ludhiana live in pathetic conditions. They toil daily for 12-14 hours but earn a meagre salary. Labour laws are non-existent in these factories. The workers are not even given identity cards. There are no security measures and workers keep losing their life and limb in deadly accidents which keep occurring every now and then. On 24th of August the workers of 42 factories of Shaktinagar, Tibba Road area striked against their owners and forced them to concede to their demands. The strike that successfully ended on 31st August has generated a wave of inspiration among the workers of other areas. 

    In the leadership of Karkhana Mazdoor Union the workers of Gaushala, Kashmir Nagar and Madhopuri are on strike for 8 days. The workers of Geeta Nagar area of Ludhiana are also on strike in the leadership of Hosiery and Textile Mazdoor Union (a union affiliated to CITU Panjab). Rajwinder said that they have been trying to coordinate their strike with the struggle of the Geeta Nagar area but havn't been able to achieve much due to the narrow-mindedness of the CITU leadership. 

Issued by, Lakhwinder, Mobile: 96461 50249 

Secretary, Karkhana Mazdoor Union, Ludhiana.

VIDEO 
The workers demonstration in front of the Vardhman Mill (Chandigarh Road)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIe6p8z3U1Q

The struggle of Ludhiana power loom workers

Workers of about three dozen power loom factories in Ludhiana's Gaushala, Kashmir Nagar, Madhopuri etc. areas are  on  strike from 16^th September 2010 under the leadership of the Karkhana Mazdoor Union (KMU). The workers have revolted against their pathetic living conditions, total absence of labour laws, callous attitude of the factory owners and administration and the opportunistic behaviour of the established trade unions affiliated to parliamentary left parties. They are energised by the recent successful strikes in 42 power loom factories in Shaktinagar area and the Jindal Textiles factory.

 Ludhiana is among the big industrial cities in India and the industrial capital of Punjab. The main industries here are hosiery, bicycle, tyre, auto-parts, engineering etc. In recent years the workers in Ludhiana have been fighting for their basic rights e.g. the struggle of the thousands of workers of the big factories of Ludhiana such as Hero cycles, Rockman, Avon, Rolson, Highway, Garetave, Bajaj Sons etc; the militant struggle of the thousands of workers against the factory owners and police-bureaucracy after the Hindustan Tyres episode; the outburst of anger of the workers in December 2009 after the Dhandari episode, the workers hitting the road after a recent disappearance of a workers of Poddar Tyres. These outbursts are just a reflection of the terrible conditions of the life which the workers of Ludhiana are forced to live and the total failure of the governance system to protect even the basic rights of the workers. The anger of workers is expressed at times spontaneously and at other times in a planned and organised manner. It is because of this reason that most of the time section 144 of the Cr. P.C. is imposed in the industrial areas of Ludhiana which prohibits assembly of five or more persons and holding of public meetings besides other restrictions.

Most of the workers of Ludhiana are migrant workers coming from the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. They are treated as aliens in their own country. These workers are subject to abject poverty and extreme exploitation. Despite toiling for 12-14 hours a day, most of the time they do not even receive the minimum wages fixed for a helper for 8 hours work {Rs 3400 (less than 80 USD) monthly}. In case of the power loom workers, there has been no increment in the piece rates and wages for last 10-12 years while the prices of all basic necessities like food, housing, medical care, travel have been skyrocketing. On the other hand there has been manifold increase in the profit level of the factory owners.

The working condition of the power loom workers of Ludhiana is so difficult and so dangerous that it can at best be called inhuman. Serious injuries and deaths at workplace are quite common in the industrial areas.  Even basic safety measures and regulations are not implemented by the factory owners. Even the administration does not take any initiative to fulfil its constitutional obligation of implementing the labour laws in these areas. On the contrary in most of the cases, the administration is found connived with the factory owners to serve their interests. No labour law whatsoever is implemented in these factories. Provident Fund, Employees State Insurance, Job Card, Attendance Register have no existence here. The regional labour department is fully hand in glove with the errant factory owners and is suitably compensated for its services. Not only the factory owners have bought up the officials and police, they do not even hesitate to use the services of goons to intimidate the workers if they raise their voices for justice. In the Dhandari episode in December 2009, they unabashedly used the local goons called Bikers’ Gang to brutally attack the agitating workers. Even the police favoured the factory owners and held the workers responsible for the violence. The owners portray any agitation of workers as being launched by “outsiders” and the local politicians and regional media also take the side of the owners only.

The workers of Ludhiana have been fighting for their rights for years through the established trade unions. But of late they have begun to realise that it is because of the betrayal of the leadership of opportunistic and corrupt trade unions such as CITU and due to the lack of well planned strategy that they have not been able to put up an effective resistance and the factory owners manage to crush their struggle. In a number of struggles of workers of large factories of Ludhiana such as Hero Cycle, Rockman, KW,Avon, Rolson, Highway, Bajaj Sons, Moonlight etc since 2004, the opportunistic, compromising, corrupt and pro-management character of CITU has been thoroughly exposed before the workers.

The recent surge of militant agitation among the power loom workers of Ludhiana began with the strike of the 42 power loom factories of Shaktinagar, Tibba Road areas on 24^th August 2010 under the leadership of the Karkhana Mazdoor Union. It was the apathetic attitude of the power loom factory owners which was mainly responsible for the inhuman conditions of living which forced the workers to halt the work and choose the path of strike. The main demands of the workers were: hike in the piece rates/wages, necessary provisions for the safety of the workers and implementing all the labour laws including identity cards, PF, ESI etc. The bold, organised and determined fight of the workers forced the power loom owners to relent and they were forced to agree to the demands of the workers. On 31^st August the workers withdrew their strike after a written agreement with the owners. It was a glorious victory of the workers after a long time. A remarkable aspect of this victory was that the power loom owners were not only forced to hike the piece rates/wages but they also agreed to give half wages for the days of strike. It is very rare that the factory owners agree to pay for the days of strike. On the contrary, one can find many instances in the labour movement of Ludhiana like the shameful Avon Cycle agreement in which due to the compromising, pusillanimous character of the renegade leadership, the workers were forced to work for 9 days without pay as a punishment for going on strike.

After this a strike broke out in the Jindal Textile factory and there too it reached a successful culmination. It is noteworthy that this was after 18 years that a workers struggle had achieved such success in Ludhiana. During the last one and a half decade the workers of Ludhiana had fought many long struggles but they culminated in shameful defeat due to the betrayal of the established trade unions. The recent victory is important in this respect and it has raised the morale of the workers to a new high.         

Meanwhile, workers of some other power loom factories agitating under another union were brutally attacked by armed goons of the factory owners last week. Around 50 workers were wounded in this lethal attack, some of them seriosly. Karkhana Mazdoor Union has demanded the authorities to carry out an investigation and punish the culprits.

Taking inspiration from the recent successes in the Shaktinagar and Jindal factory strikes, hundreds of the power loom workers of about three dozen factories of Ludhiana's Gaushala, Kashmir Nagar, Madhopuri etc also decided to call a strike on 16^th September 2010 under the leadership of the Karkhana Mazdoor Union. These workers are on a strike to force the factory owners to increase their piece rate/salary and to implement other basic rights. They are united and determined to make their strike successful. They have appealed to the fellow workers of other power loom factories who are yet to join the strike to come forward and join the strike to make the struggle more united and strong. Along with this the workers have also organised vigilant squads of their own against the possibility of fresh attacks by the factory owners. A great achievement of these strikes is that the workers are no longer terrified of the police and the goons of the owners. Moulder and Steel Workers Union of Ludhiana has supported the power loom workers in their strike. The workers have also distributed pamphlets among the civilian population explaining to them their wretched working and living conditions and the rationale behind their demands. They have also appealed to other factory workers of Ludhiana to support and join their strike. The workers have warned the officials of the labour department not to work as stooges of the factory owners and perform their constitutional duties otherwise their strike will become more vigorous.

On the third day of the strike i.e. on 18^th September 2010, the henchmen of a factory owner attacked the KMU members who were distributing the leaflets in a market and also kidnapped two workers. Immediately hundreds of workers gathered outside the factory where the kidnapped workers were being held. The owner ran away and the workers were rescued. This was another psychological victory for the workers.

Contact for further information:

Rajwinder – 098886 55663, Lakhwinder – 096461 50249

Email: lakhwinder0143@yahoo.co.in

Office: Karkhana Mazdoor Union, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Pustkalaya, Gali No.5, Lakshman Nagar, Gyaspura, Ludhiana, Punjab

Some videos of Shaktinagar strike can be watched here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4XDEeQ2cLM&feature=youtube_gdata_player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc728_c-E1c&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CuUBu222z4&feature=related

15-Day long strike of Almond Workers comes to conclusion

Struggle came to an end with a compromise between the employers and the Union

December 31, New Delhi. The historical strike of almond workers continuing since last 15 days came to an end with a compromise between the employers and the Union. As is well known, this strike began on December 16 and around 20 thousand workers' families had been participating in it. It has already being hailed as the biggest and longest strike by the unorganized workers of Delhi. Before this compromise, the employer side and the Union had sat across the table for talks earlier also, however, those talks could not establish a common understanding. Following that bipartite, the strike continued and finally on the evening of December 31, a common agreement was reached between both the parties.

Before this 15-day long strike the almond workers had put forward a 5-point charter of demand under the leadership of Badaam Mazdoor Union (BMU), in front of the contractors. These primarily included the rights to which the workers are entitled under the labour laws. Earlier, the almond workers used to get a meagre Rs. 50 for processing of one bag of almonds. Besides, they used to be denied payment of wages for several months. Misbehaviour and abusing workers in godowns by the staff of contractors was a common thing. Moreover, the shells peeled off the almonds were sold to the workers on arbitrary prices fixed by the contractors. These shells are used as fuel for cooking by the workers. Under the leadership of the BMU, the workers had long been demanding that they should be given Rs. 70-80 per bag of processed almonds and the peeled off shells should be given to them at Rs. 10 per bag. They were also demanding that they should be given their due wages in the first week of every month.

The employers were rigid for last 15 days on not increasing the wages and they had been insisting that the workers should first of all call off the strike and return to work then, they will think about wage revision, and that too after January 16. However, the workers found this proposal unacceptable and continued with their strike. The employers' frustration grew with every passing day as their armoury had been emptied. One of the employers was beaten up by women picketers after he attacked the women workers, the Police administration failed to break the strike by threatening and intimidating workers' leaders, brokers also failed to break the strike by spreading rumours. After December 29, it was clear that it was just a matter of time when the employers succumb and approaches the workers for compromise. On the morning of December 31, some employers accepted the demands of the workers without talks with the Union and started work. As a result the employers unity disintegrated and they bifurcated into two groups. At last, around 6 PM in the evening of the same day, both the sides held talks and it was decided that the employers will give Rs. 60 per bag of processed almonds to the workers, the peeled off shells will be sold at Rs. 20 per bag, and the workers will be paid their wages in the first week of every month.

With this compromise the workers called off their historical strike and they are returning to work from the first day of the New Year. With this the biggest strike of the unorganized workers of Delhi came to conclusion. Under the leadership of Badaam Mazdoor Union, thousands of unorganized workers proved that they can fight and they can win. Apparently, the workers could not win all of their demands. However, the issue in this strike now was not merely the revision of wages, etc. In an industry where the workers are made to toil like slaves in the most primitive conditions, constantly manhandled, facing abuses and misbehaviour and were considered an instumentum vocale, the workers waged a heroic and historical struggle to win respect for them and win their minimum labour rights. The employers were, for the first time, made to realize the massive force of workers and were made to do away with their misunderstanding, that these workers will keep enduring their excesses silently and would not speak up. Towards the end of the struggle, the employers bowed down to the workers' power in every respect. Besides, not only the employers were made to realize the force of the united workers, but the population of the entire Karawal Nagar area understood the fact that these workers are not going to keep their lips zipped.

Another accomplishment of this strike was that the trade unions of parties like C.P.I. (M.L.) were sidelined by the workers consciously and they brought their struggle to an end under the leadership of the BMU, without any kind of support or help from any electoral party. The workers made it a point that they would not let any electoral party infiltrate into the movement. The workers rejected all varieties of brokers of electoral Trade Unions. They cleary understood the real character of the electoral parties, the R.S.S., Police administration and similar forces fo the area and realized that they have to fight on their strength only, which is massive.

Ashish Kumar, convener of the BMU, told the media that this struggle is not an end, but a beginning. In future, the almond workers of Delhi will continue to fight under the banner of the BMU for those rights which are still out of their reach. Ashish said that till this whole industry continues to function informally, the workers will remain weak in their legal battle. The next aim of the Union is to make the government's labour department give formal status to this huge industry.

Abhinav, correspondant of labour monthly Bigul and a researcher of the unorganized workers of Delhi, said that this struggle will stay in the memories of the workers of Delhi for decades to come. This struggle was first of its kind and it dismantled this myth that the unorganized and informal sector workers cannot wage organized struggles. By organizing workers in their areas of residence and working class neighbourhoods, the struggle of the unorganized and scattered workers can be given an organized and huge form. Undoubtedly, it is a challenging task, however, this strike has emphatically proved that this challenge can be overcome.