The Problem of Bonded Labour in Tamil Nadu Indebtedness is the Mother of Bonded Labour Issue

Abstract

The problem of bonded labour cannot be explained in a rigid form of definitions. This menace is an age old phenomenon and was rampantly prevalent in many parts of our country. Though the nomenclature differed from place to place but the exploitation of labour was very much alive all through the ages. The problem of keeping humans as a perpetual slave was a proof of man’s obnoxious desire to fulfil his personal economic gains and status in the society. This scar lived over years and centuries for not only satisfying the social but as well as for economic purpose too. This insult on society gained momentum with the help of Indian Caste System. It would be futile to arrive at a conclusion without studying and linking this problem with slavery and caste system which helped to degrade human being much lower than the animals. Indeed slavery was abolished by law but the modern form of slavery i.e. bonded labour was abolished only on paper and in fact it tis still prevalent in the society. The institution of slavery and its off shoot bonded labour thrived with the help of its supporters i.e. Money-lenders, Manipulators, Land lords and vested interest people etc… in order to extract and squeeze the bonded labourers free labour/service free of cost. The supporters of this social evil just because they have advanced a meagre amount applied all forms of tricks to trap the illiterate, ill-equipped, mute   and voiceless poor bonded labour to amass their wealth into multiple folds. When the Colonial rulers disturbed/showed the sign of altering the social set up the natives who enjoyed the free labour from the bonded labourers ignited the nationalistic feelings and in order to topple the colonial rule they projected themselves as the messiah of the down trodden people and with the help of available constitutional set up they formed the popular ministries in various parts of our country. The research paper investigates that how far the popular ministries have walked along with the weaker sections of the community is the core issue in this paper and what measures were carried out by them to ameliorate their grievances and how far they have succeeded in altering the social set up after having continuously enjoyed political power after the first world war till independence of our country.

                             The aim of the paper is to present the issue of agrarian distress as seen in the official records. The objective of the paper was to convey the hard reality that the popular governments prior to independence succumbed to the pressure of vested group who kept the lower strata of the community under their control. The paper proves and portrays the views of the Special Officer about the presence of bonded labour and that the government was handicapped due to the Absence of a Cheap, Honest, Sympathetic and Easily Accessible Tribunal during Justice Ministry kept the Ignorant Labourers under Bondage.  An earnest attempt has been made in this paper to disclose the reality with which the agrarian community were reeling under Justice Ministry. From the technical point of view the paper is divided into two part i.e. Part-I- The conditions of agrarian community before Justice Ministry. Part-II- The conditions of agrarian community during Justice Ministry.