Question

“In response to harsh working conditions, sometimes workers went on strike.” Justify taking the example of the famous Bombay Textile Strike of 1982.

Answer 1

The Bombay Textile Strike was one of the largest labour movements in India and highlighted the hardships faced by textile workers. They worked under harsh conditions, received very low wages, and were made to work long hours without proper rights.

Dissatisfied with this treatment, workers demanded higher wages, fair labour rights, and improved working conditions. With no other option left, they resorted to protest. The strike saw participation from over two lakh textile workers and spread across numerous mills in Bombay. Workers refused to resume work, and the strike continued for a long period.

The consequences were serious. Many textile mills were forced to close, leaving workers without their main source of income. Thousands of families suffered, unemployment rose, and the strike had a lasting influence on the labour movement and workers’ rights in India.