Political Diary

New Delhi, 4 September 2015

India on Strike

MODI’S ACCHE DIN TAKES A KNOCK

By Poonam I Kaushish

Your freedom ends where my nose begins. This truism once again came to life when 10 Central unions with over 15 crores workers called a one-day nationwide strike against the Government pro ‘suit-boot’ policies and labour reform. Halting transport services, banking operations, coal-steel production etc, underscoring the old saying “jiski laathi uski bhains”!

Curse all you want, in this season of economic disgruntlement, big deal if the bandh crippled life, inconvenienced the aam aadmi, brought the country to a grinding halt, knocked out the concept of good governance. Success was measured in terms of causing the maximum dislocation and discomfiture to the masses. A sure give away of free India out of control!

According to a senior Union Minister, the strike was engineered by the Congress-Left combine who were fast losing their foothold and significance in today’s rapidly changing global economy and being perceived as sticks in the mud. Thus, the unions were merely flexing their muscle to rekindle hope that naarebaazi is still relevant. Given, the Government had accepted 9 of 12 demands. Only sticky issues left were FDI in insurance, Rs 15,000 minimum wage and halting public sector investments.

Questionably, the issue is not whether the unions’ grievances were justified or not. Neither is it about exploitation or redress. True, they may have genuine grouses. But certainly this is not the way to go about getting the Government to see reason. But why blame them alone? All stand guilty, including our Parties of using strikes as self-serving, muscle flexing and blackmailing tactics to get what they want.

In fact, no day passes without a strike somewhere. Be it a mohalla, district or State. The story is the same. Plainly, India thrives on protests. Raising, a moot point: What drives unions to strike? Is it to keep its flock together? Ignominy of becoming irrelevant?  Guided by workers interest, commitment for a better wages and quality of life? Or political considerations?

Tragically, India has travelled a long way from Tilak’s “swaraj is my birth right” to “strike is my birth right.” Today, every section of the society plans strikes as a matter of routine.  Be it labour strikes, political protests or chakka jams which bring life to a standstill, replete with violence, mayhem, deaths et al.

National Capital Delhi’s numero uno road --- Parliament Street resembles a battle ground. Heavily barricaded with baton-wielding policemen, fire engines and police vans, it stands vandalized every other day by slogan-shouting masses protesting about something or the other. Punctuated by the bursting of tear-gas shells and water cannon volleys.

The cause is immaterial. It is all about registering ones protest, the louder the better. Success is measured in terms of causing maximum dislocation and discomfiture to people. Bringing work to a standstill in the prime business district with the entry-exit points repeatedly sealed.

The labour unions are the worst. They are allergic to Government policies which follow the cut-the-flab, close-shop philosophy without realising the significance of socio-economic factors. So, whenever there is a talk about labour reforms, the working class gets its back up. For them, the word privatisation is anathema. Primarily, because privatization spells accountability.

Look at the irony. Drive down the teeming metropolises and one sees the inherent contradictions of India’s liberalization. The imposing glass-and-concrete high rises, neon signs flashing some of the world's biggest global names, and malls are all symbols of the thrusting ambitions of Indian business and society.

On the flip side the potholed roads, unreliable power supply and lack of urban infrastructure exposes the rank failure of the Government. This in turn encourages cynical trade unionism at the cost of generating employment and economic growth. Besides, part of the problem is that most trade unions are headed by netas who have their own axe to grind with the Government

What workers unions do, Parties do one better. Undeniably, they use strikes to camouflage non-performance or for self-glorification, to gain sympathy or wriggle out of working hard. Some old hands at the game admit that the exercise is to flex their might and muscle to show-off their strength.

And if one is a bandh regular, other Parties actually start believing that you have the might and the muscle. Ignoring that it all boils down to what you are willing to spend on renting a crowd and giving it a free trip. All issues evoke the same bystanders who are more interested in a jagha darshan, the money and the food packets. The net result? Zilch. 

But it's now not easy to wish away a bandh, however damaging it may seem to the image-building process. It has now become a weapon for the Opposition which resorts to it when it feels like venting out its frustration or desperation for power.

Part of the current paradox is explained by the changed notion of hartal aka bandh. The original concept was centered on the logic that the only way for a group of disempowered people to shake the system was to agitate. From a simple gherao for more wages to a voluntary hartal against policy decisions.

But slowly perversion set in. A strike could be effective only if stoppage of work could not be overcome easily by the system. Therefore, the strikers use their power base, including violence, to stall anything that spells change from the set routine. Never mind that in the long run it is detrimental for the country and the people.

Importantly, people are fed-up of strikes each time some neta gets a headache or a gripe. According to a recent survey, three out of four people want a legal ban on strikes, 8 out of 10 favour severe punishment or hefty fines for the leaders. Surprisingly, only 15% believe in strikes, 10% in voluntary participation and 60% supported Gandhiji’s form of civil disobedience, peaceful dharnas, rallies and candle lighting in genuine cases of injustice.

Clearly, the time has come to take a leaf out of US law, wherein there is no Constitutional right to make a speech on a highway so as to cause a crowd to gather and obstruct the highway. The right to assembly is to be so exercised as not to conflict with other lawful rights, interests and comfort of the individual or the public and public order.

Also, the municipality has the power to impose regulations in order to assure the safety and convenience of the people. And the power to break up a meeting if the speaker undertakes incitement to riot or breach of peace.

Undoubtedly, in a milieu wherein adoption of strong-arm tactics to extract one’s pound of flesh has become our second nature, who should one fault? The polity and the unions are two sides of the same coin. It is only a question of who engineers the strike and for what gain. 

And the latest all-India bandh has exposed how dangerous this game has become.  But no longer can we simply dismiss indiscipline and violence as a system’s failure.  The right of the citizen is paramount. It is time to cry a halt to political clichés and strikes. 

How long will our chalta hai attitude persist. With each shrugging his shoulders and asserting ki pharak painda hai. Absence of national discipline has led to the present crisis.  Time now to call a bandh against hypocritical Parties and our moribund State.  What do you say? ---INFA      

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)