Unwise move that has hastened the death of trade unionism

ST employees’ violent display at Sharad Pawar’s home has done immeasurable damage to the people who believe in peaceful protest for justice

Trade unionism has been synonymous with politics. Great political leadership has been shaped while fighting for the cause of workers. Some leaders lost credibility when things went wrong but somehow managed to stay afloat either by course correction or simply switching sides. 
Mumbai has seen the best and the worst of trade unionism, which is now on the brink of extinction. The loss, if any, has been loaded on the workers’ side. The recent incident involving the state public transport employees resorting to violence at the Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar’s residence has done considerable harm to the entire workers’ cause. 

The ‘condemnable’ violence has pushed dying trade union activism to the darkest corner. The police suspect that the attack was well planned and executed under specific instructions. Their leader, who usurped one of the longest agitations in the history of the transport corporation, has been arrested and his role is being probed. Over a hundred workers, men and women, have been arrested. And, if they are all employees of the corporation, then they are starting to take strict action. The court — which decided their case a day before the attack had asked the state to be lenient with the striking employees — may think twice before extending them a hand of mercy again.

It is routine practice for trade unions and political protesters to announce agitations such as marching towards Mantralaya despite a court ban or staging a dharna in front of the CM’s or minister’s residences. But such protests don’t actually happen, and remain symbolic as the police and protesters negotiate to come to an amicable solution. Usually, it’s a happy ending as a delegation of protesters is allowed to visit the CM or the minister, sooner or later. Some over-the-top individuals among the protesters try guerrilla tactics to reach their destinations but are ultimately apprehended, booked and tried. In many instances, the minor court cases of protests are withdrawn by successive governments.

Recently, the Congress party had announced in advance a protest in front of ex-CM Devendra Fadnavis’s official residence in Mumbai. The police stopped the protesters in their tracks and avoided a clash between the workers of both parties. The Congress leaders also cooperated as Mumbai’s commuters abhor traffic jams. A week before, the strike of electricity board workers ended after negotiating with the energy minister. There is the Laxman Rekha that the respective leader has to prescribe to his protester colleagues so that the police reciprocate. 

In the Silver Oak attack, the police said that they had some idea about the plan that was hatched overnight under the camouflage of victory celebrations. However, it could be the public and police perception that the mutual trust is rarely breached by protesters, a section of the workers succeeded in their plan of storming Pawar’s premises. Policing lapses are being probed. A political conspiracy angle is also under the radar.

The outcome of the ST employees’ misadventure could be serious, not just for them, but also for others, who stay put at Azad Maidan to seek justice from the government. The maidan has an area earmarked for legal protests by individuals and organisations. The police have to be informed about the protest. A dedicated police force keeps a constant vigil to ensure that the protesters do not disturb law and order. But henceforth, the police are expected to be under unprecedented pressure to prevent a recurrence of the Silver Oak-like incident. The personnel in uniform and mufti (the intelligence unit in plainclothes) are expected to be stricter than ever and may push for shifting ‘reserved for protest’ venues to some other place in the city. If shifted, activists may say that the protesters, who don’t connive but believe in peaceful agitation, will be denied a suitable place like Azad Maidan, which is very close to the city’s two biggest railway stations, the city and state police headquarters and the seat of power in Mantralaya.

Dharmendra Jore is political editor, mid-day. He tweets @dharmendrajore

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