Bonded labour is one of the forms of our freed labour existing predominantly in rural India. It is one of the most inhuman forms of social stigmas rooted in the socioeconomic structure of our country. Poverty and unemployment are the chief driving forces behind bondage. In addition to this, the Hindu caste hierarchy plays an important role in preserving this evil as low-paid and menial jobs cannot be done by higher castes. Hence, it is prevalent for many centuries. The various reports of the government and the research studies reveal that the extent and the form of bondage differ from state to state. Although beggar or ‘forced labour’ is prohibited under Article 23 of the Constitution of India till 1975 the problem of bonded labour did not receive the attention of the government seriously. An ordinance promulgated by the President of India in 1975, which became an Act in 1976, banned the system of bonded labour throughout the country. The book under review is the result of a nation-wide survey-conducted jointly by the Gandhi Peace Foundation and the National Labour Institute in 1000 villages distributed over 295 districts in ten States.
Aug-Dec 1985, volume 10, No 8/12