Editor's Pick

ON 8 MAY 1974, in one of the largest industrial actions in the world, nearly 1.7 million workers of the Indian Railways began a strike that lasted 20 days, paralysing the country’s transport infrastructure. The strike was the culmination of longstanding grievances regarding stagnant wages, bonuses and the demand for a standard eight-hour workday. It was led by the future union defence minister George Fernandes—seen here at a rally of the Hind Mazdoor Kisan Panchayat—who was president of the All India Railwaymen’s Federation at the time. The movement united well over a hundred fractured unions under the National Coordination Committee for Railwaymen’s Struggle.


While the official strike date was 8 May, lightning protests began as early as 2 May, following the pre-dawn arrest of Fernandes at the Charbagh railway station, in Lucknow. The Indira Gandhi government responded with severe repression, declaring the strike illegal and utilising the Maintenance of Internal Security Act to arrest thousands of workers. Paramilitary forces, including the Border Security Force and the Central Reserve Police Force, were deployed to railway colonies. Train drivers were also reportedly shackled in their cabins. The government cut off electricity and water supply to railway colonies in Bombay, Delhi, Kishanganj, Shakurbasti and Malda.


Solidarity for the railwaymen spread to other sectors, with transport and electricity workers in Mumbai joining the protests. Families of workers squatted on tracks in places such as Gaya. The strike began to weaken in a few weeks, however, due to the arrest of all their leaders and the relentless crackdown by the union and state governments. The strike was withdrawn on 28 May 1974. Though its immediate demands were not met, many of them were fulfilled later. The strike remains a pivotal milestone in India’s labour movement and is widely regarded as a prelude to the Emergency of 1975–77.