Indelible Imprints of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh

NewsBharati    23-Jul-2020 12:44:28 PM
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By Adv Saji Narayan

In 1949, the second Sarsanghchalak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sri M. S. Golwalkar alias Sri Guruji assigned Sangh pracharak Sri Dattopant Thengdiji the task of forming an organization in the labor sector based on Bharatiya ethos and national outlook. Thengdiji gained experience by working with INTUC during 1950-52 and AITUC during 1952-55 and then he started the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) in 1955.

The history of the Indian Trade Union movement can be divided into three periods. The first stage is from 1919-1947. AITUC, the first central trade union, was formed in 1919 by Indian National Congress and later Communists captured its leadership. The second stage is from 1947-1989. Congress leaders started INTUC in 1947, and it dominated the scene till 1989. The third stage is from 1989 onwards when the Government of India conducted official verification of trade unions based on the year 1989 and with hesitation declared BMS as number one, though in the year 1994.

BMS is also the largest independent trade union in the world (since the Chinese trade union is Government-sponsored). Many wonders how BMS, the last movement that entered the labor scene and started without even a single union-affiliated, emerged as the largest Trade Union of the Country.

Almost all other trade unions are born out of the splits taking place in their parent political parties. The betrayal by Communists during the quit India movement, Indo-China war of 1962, the emergency period declared by Indira Gandhi, etc. had accelerated the pace of a strong national trade union. Today people have stopped thinking and equating trade unions with the Communists. In the successful journey of BMS, Thengdiji was assisted by a large number of committed and dedicated cadre and senior workers.

bms_1  H x W: 0Thengdiji built up the ideological basis of BMS from the inception. When political trade unions misused workers of our country for their power politics, BMS raised the slogans “apolitical trade union” (above politics) and “Nationalist labor”. Instead of the Communist theory of class conflict, the BMS believed in the concept of industrial family. Hence in the place of the Communist slogan “Workers of the world unite” it said- “Workers, unite the world”. The cyclic concept of “Nationalize the labor, laborize the industry and industrialize the Nation” gives the idea of what BMS is striving for.

BMS embraced the policy of non-political “responsive co-operation” with various governments, which means that the co-operation or hostility of BMS towards any government or the employer depends on their approach towards the workers.

For all the trade unions except BMS, the political bosses decided their agenda. The Janata Party, which came to power at the Centre in 1977 repeatedly requested BMS to become its affiliate. When BMS refused, many leaders and intellectuals commented it is foolish to spoil the golden opportunity; but the test of time proved that the decision was correct.

By the end of 1979, the Janata Party was divided into pieces because of its run for power politics. Leftist unions supported the anti-worker policies of Deva Gowda, Gujral, and the first Dr. Manmohan Singh Governments at the Centre and State Governments in West Bengal, Tripura, and Kerala. Whereas it is well known that BMS stood firmly with workers during the Janata Government in 1977 or the NDA Governments that came later. During Janata rule, due to the strike of BMS workers, the supply of water to the Parliament area was stopped.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government constituted a 2nd National Commission on Labor to suggest labor Law reforms. But when it made certain anti-worker proposals, the BMS submitted a dissenting note which was widely discussed at that time.

As a part of its “Sangharsh and Samvad” (Agitation and Dialogue) policy, the BMS led the labor movement through many historical struggles. It was BMS for the first-time started agitation for removing the anomalies in fixing the consumer price index. Other organizations like AITUC opposed this in the beginning. BMS view that Bonus is a “differed wage” was accepted by the legal world and others later.

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During the Central Government employees’ strike in 1968, the BMS workers participated, and many were put in jail. Many of them lost their jobs. In 1974 Bharatiya Railway Mazdoor Sangh also actively participated in the strike of railway employees’ unions led by George Fernandez. But BMS was very particular that there would not be any destruction to national property.

During the emergency period, BMS was the main organization that worked among the workers for the protection of the Nation. More than 70,000 BMS workers participated in Satyagraha. When the workers’ right to Bonus was taken away during the emergency, both AITUC and INTUC supported it. Others except BMS forgot all their traditions of going for a strike even on trifle matters. Because of the confidence so obtained, BMS had a record growth after that period.

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On 2001 April 16, BMS had a huge rally in Delhi which was addressed by Dattopant Thengdiji. On 2011 November 23 also BMS showed its gigantic (Virat) form by organizing a massive rally. On the next day, all Central Trade unions came together under the leadership of BMS to fight against the anti-worker policies of Dr. Manmohan Singh Government. Under the leadership of BMS, all central trade unions together held a one-day strike in 2012 and a two-day strike in 2013 which was highly successful. After that UPA Government constituted a Ministerial Committee to look into the grievances of labor.

During the regime of the current NDA Government also, when it initiated the controversial labor law reforms, BMS continued the “Sangharsh and Samvad” approach. Because of the active intervention of BMS, politically motivated Left and Congress trade unions could not make political gains. BMS raised the slogan “Save Worker, Save India”.

Thanks to the constant pressure of BMS, Indian labor benefitted the maximum during the current BJP rule since the days of Dr. Ambedkar during 1942-46. This has created many expectations in the minds of labor about the Modi Government. When the Left and Congress Central Trade unions moved according to the commands of their political bosses, BMS separated from them and formed a joint movement of 6 central trade unions under the banner “CONCENT”. BMS is continuing its struggle to save PSUs in the country.

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The Hyderabad Conference of BMS in 1984 declared war against economic imperialism. Under the inspiration of Thengdiji, BMS was a part of Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (SJM). The BMS was in the forefront in spreading Swadeshi ideals and fight against LPG reforms, WTO, FTA, FDI etc.

Based on national ethos, BMS formed the “Sarv Panth Samadar Manch” for promoting religious harmony and “Paryavaran Manch” for environmental activities. In Jalgaon conference, BMS declared two activities- “March to Village” and “Organize the Unorganized.” BMS was at the forefront in the international labor movement as a part of the International Labor Organization (ILO).

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Adv Saji Narayan participated as a Worker Delegate at the ILO Conference in 2010 at ILO Geneva

BMS was against leftist trade unions when they stood against national interests. During the Chinese attack of 1962 and the Pakistan attack of 1965, BMS served the Nation assisting its defence activities by forming “Rashtriya Mazdoor Morcha”. Through this forum, BMS gave all possible help to the Government as well as to the Jawans.

During the Bangladesh liberation war also this “Rashtriya Mazdoor Morcha” was formed to assist the war efforts of India. In 2003 a trade union peace delegation went to Pakistan. There, when Pakistan trade unions brought a resolution supporting divisive elements in Kashmir, leftists supported it. But because of the opposition of BMS, it could not be passed.

Similarly, in 2018, in a BRICS trade union conference held in China, Chinese trade unions brought resolution supporting the BRI initiative, which was opposed by the Indian Government. Even though other trade unions from India supported it, again because of BMS objection, it could not be passed. When other trade unions supported agitation against CAA, BMS passed a resolution in support of CAA, NRC and NPR. Recently when there was Chinese aggression on the borders, at the insistence of BMS, the strikes in sectors like defence were postpones till the tension was eased.

Thus, BMS had stamped its indelible imprints in the world trade union history. BMS will continue its struggle, and it will not end until the last worker in the country is elevated in his economic pursuit.

(Adv. Saji Narayan is the President of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh)