The Historic Railway Strike of 1974 was started on 8th May from morning 6’o clock and continued till 27th May. It is an world record and an unique and unprecedented incident. The unity and spirit of struggle was build up not only in the Railway workers, but it developed a sense of struggle among other trade union movement too and the striking Railway workers were Committed to continue their struggle despite all sort of worst kind of repression, terror, group attack, revengeful acts, slandering campaign in India and abroad against Strike they continued the strike.
The sympathy and support as shown for the Striking Railway employees by the common people was unique and a rare instance for the other strike and struggle. On 15 th May a General strike was called in support of the Railway Strike as a token of Soliderity. Despite all these positive aspects of this strike it was not able to achieve the 6 point charter of demands. In that point of view It may be viewed as Failure of the strike. But it can not be accepted that the strike was succumbed to the degree of extreme torture ,repression and revengeful acts or by the ruthless terror created by the administration. Inspite of the some damages done for the strike by the some section Anti struggle reformist elements.
Proposal for withdrawl of Strike came on 26th May from the leaders of the action committee who were in jail at that time which reached to the Action Committee on 27 th May. There was only Four leaders of Action Committee was out of prison at that time including Comrade Samar Mukherjee. The other leaders were either in jail or absconding to evade arresting as FIR was lodged against them. Out of four leaders Comrade Samar Mukherjee and Priya Gupta was not in favour of withdrawl of Strike. It was decided earlier that only NCCRS can take a decision for withdrawl of strike but due to large scale arresting of leaders and victim of revengeful acts that the meeting of NCCRS could not be convened For which on 28th May the Action Committee had to take decision for withdrawl of strilke . Leaders like Comrade Samar Mukherjee and Priya Gupta knew that the moral of the striking employees were high till the end of the strike. The administration spread all lies against strike and its leaders including George Fernandes and other leaders who were in jail at that time slandering against them.
Due to impact of impact of the strike administration was compelled to release the arrested leaders and to stop the penal action against the strikers. According to comrade Samar Mukherjee it was never possible to break the long drawn strike by the administration it its leaders were lost their spirit before the tremendous attack & torture. After the withdrawl of Railway strike within a year Internal emergency was imposed by the Government showing its Repressive attitude and naked attack on the working class.
(To be continued)
Compiled by T Chattaraj.
