Sumendra Tamang
On June 25th 1955, 77 years ago, a terrible and violent shoot out had taken place at Margaret’s Hope, Control Dara where 6 workers namely Jitman Tamang ( 48 years) Kaley Limbu ( 14 years ), Iccha Sunwar , Amrit Kamini ( 18 yrs), MauliShova Raini ( 22 yrs) and Padam Lal Kami ( 24 yrs) had been murdered in broad daylight by the newly “ Independent Indian state” directly under the whims of the Maliks ( owners of tea gardens). An arrested worker named Guptimaya Raini had also lost her toodler girl in prison due to lack of proper medical facilities. 8 workers were seriously injured. More than 240 workers were arrested for this act of rebellion against the tea garden owners and the exploitation they carried. What most the Indians regarded as independence was yet another ‘emotional mischief' for the tea garden workers of Darjeeling. They were betrayed their freedom and when they retaliated back by fighting for their immediate demands ( such as end of Hattabahar system where the manager can throw anyone out of the garden, bonus equivalent to 3 month wages/ salaries, wage increase of workers and staffs, compensation to the workers of closed gardens between 1952- 53 etc) they were supressed using the same repressive state apparatus. This violence perpetuated by the Maliks was intended to crush the movement but instead more than 30 thousand people showed up in the final procession. The same day the police had fired upon a rally procession at Birpara garden too but no one was hurt. On 29th June a strike was called in Terai and Dooars gardens as well. In the end under the pressure of tea garden workers movement, the ruling class had to bend down and important rights such as bonus, monthly holidays and maternity leave for women was won by the workers. This was a result of an organised, conscious and a militant class movement. This movement had an important impact in the political arena of Darjeeling and inorder to realise this political transition we must understand it’s historical evolution and its objective realities. Afterall, such acts of accumulated rebellion happens once in a lifetime.
The beginning of tea plantation in Darjeeling
These entire terrain of Darjeeling had been a subject of relentless disputes between the then independent Sikkim, Bhutan and Nepal. Regular disputes and forced eviction were rampant. Even before 1835 when Darjeeling was finally merged under the jurisdiction of the British East India company, many indigenous local tribals and communities such as lepchas and others lived in these dense and difficult areas. They were mostly tribes who survived through hunting, agriculture and animal husbandry. General Captain Harbert Resident Grant and Captain Lloyd would survey the area and plans of clearing the dense forest into a haven or a sanatorium was slowly being imagined by the East India company. Hence after 1835 lands from Bada Rangit south to Balasan and Chota Rangit to Mahanadi east was finally handed by the then king of Sikkim. The British started to clear the entire lands both habitable and non habitable by indigenous people living there. Trees were cut, ponds filled, waters springs destroyed, indigenous varieties of biodiversity destroyed. Big bunglows for the British soldiers and their wives were construed. Governor general of India William Bentrick had personally gone to China and bought back some tea seedlings in order to start tea plantation in different parts of India. Here was the advent of tea experimentation in India. Already tea bushes were grown in Assam, Kumau, Garwal etc. In 1839 Dr. Campbell arrived in Darjeeling and tea bushes were first grown in the hills of Alubari but the plants turned out to be feeble. Then in the forests of Aleybung, many tea bushes turned healthy. This was the first ray of hope for the British, later tea plantation started at Makaibari, Alubari, Tukvar, Dhotrey, Margaret’s Hope etc. In 1856 tea plantation in Darjeeling had kicked off and it created a madness in the international market. The British intentionally showed less population in this terrain and most probably it was just the town centric calculations. The intention behind this was to prove to the King of Sikkim that Darjeeling was a wasteland and hence giving it away would not mean much for the Sikkimese. Also Darjeeling was the kernel of war and disputes between Sikkim and Nepal and regular fists fights happened once in a while. But there was one problem, there was not enough workers for this newly formed industry. Hence the British spread a rumour saying “plants which yielded gold” were found in the tea gardens of Darjeeling. In 1854 the monarchs in Nepal had passed the ' Muluki Ain’ which was aimed at systematic supression of poor Dalits and women of then Nepal. This also was a factor for the migration of these poor people from Nepal to Darjeeling (Mughlan). In the plains too, tribals from Chotanagpur plateau were bought in to work in those tea gardens. Darjeeling turned into a cultural conglomeration of different tribal identities where many languages coexisted parallely. Limbu, Gurung, Bhujel, Tamang, Mangar, Kami, Damai, Chettri, Bahun all worked in these tea gardens. In the next forty years about 186 tea gardens opened. Baidars were entrusted with the task of bringing more workers from different places. The British had started tea gardens using extensive slavery and bonded labour with no rights of any kind. The rules were dictated by the British. The workers had to treat those British babus with salutes. The workers were not allowed to look into their eyes not wear slippers or hats or good clothes in front of these British babus. A practice of evicting workers of plantation called Hattabahar was rampant. Anything which had a sense of empowerment was not allowed by the British. The British wanted to rule and hence they ruled with iron fists.
After Bhutan tried to attack the British with the intention of capturing Darjeeling in 1862, a battle was fought at Dalim fort( now located at Ambiyok tea garden) and then in 1865 a treaty was signed at Sinchula and as a result of this kalimpong would now become part of Darjeeling. To be noted, Kalimpong was demarcated into Bhutan from Sikkim during 1750- 1760s and was actually a part of Sikkim itself. And now finally, Darjeeling finally became whole. During the 1920s and 1930s some small protests were happening in tea gardens of Darjeeling like Som and Chungthung. In 1949 the pro workers doctor of Margaret’s Hope tea garden Dr. Abhiniranjan Tapalatra and five others were thrown out of the garden for their involvement in trade union activites This was followed by many other incidents of Hattabahar.
On May 8th 1955 a fourteen point charter of demands was placed to the tea garden maliks. Seeing no such reaction from the tea garden owners on 5th June 1955, a meeting was called at GDNS hall, Darjeeling. In this meeting attended by many trade union leaders and workers it was decided that from 22nd June 1955, if the tea garden owners didn’t comply with the workers demand a strike would be called on behalf of both the trade unions of Majdur Union and Majdur Sangh. The strike had started and it spread like wild fire. But on 25th June, the workers of Maharani and Dilaram tea gardens were forced to work and upon hearing this, workers from Munda tea garden had rallied towards the garden. Along the way workers from Ringtong and Margaret’s hope also joined in. The management of Margaret’s Hope ordered to shoot at the workers inorder to stole the procession Five workers died at the spot and one succumbed to injuries at Kurseong hospital. This was probably the first organised workers movement after independence. This united call for strikes by different trade unions was a result of a conscious and militant workers trade unions movement. This was a golden period of tea garden workers movement. This is the legacy that 1955 Margaret’s hope shooting holds. This movement proved to the Indian state that not only could Gorkhas fight for others but they could fight for themselves too if they have to. This was the political significance of 1955. As a result of this finally the Plantation labour act of 1951 was finally made into rules in 1956.
What we must be learnt from 1955 tea workers movement today ?
It is often campaigned today that tea garden workers have been abandoned by the trade unions and the local leaders of Darjeeling. They have been cheated and cornered, turned into voting machines and means of labour power. Although this is not totally false. The current situation where the tea garden workers stand today has been mainly due to growing hegemony of capitalism in our country. It is also because of the decreasing class consciousness in the tea garden workers. Right now, attacks on working class of India has been multi directional in nature. The new labour codes which has replaced previously existing 44 labour laws. All these laws were achieved through workers movement throughout India. These four labour codes namely, Code on wages, Code on industrial relations, Code on Social security and Code on occupational safety, hazard and working conditions. These labour codes are aimed at totally paralysing trade union activity of the workers, increasing contractualisation of work, implementing ‘hire and fire system’ and ending permanent nature of work with social securities. This new Labour codes are a product of this unhealthy marriage between the Indian ruling classs and global capitalism. In the name of ' ease of doing business ' same old anti worker laws are being rewritten through the hands of globalisation, capital accumulation and capitalism. This new labour laws will push back the workers movement back in history and what has the history taught us? It has taught us that only through an organised working class movement we can stop this. 15 % of tea garden land can be used for tourism purpose. This notification in 2019 amidst Corona crisis has put the workers at grave risk. The risk of eviction and penetration of corporate capital. The workers till now do not have any land rights, Parjapatta. The point being that if the West Bengal state government can provide lands to the corporate for hospitality business, why can’t it provide land documents to the workers whose great great grandfather once cleared this lands and planted these tea bushes.?
Again and again, workers have been deprived of their rights and turned into parts of machines. They are treated as reserve for votes. Most of the trade unions play it safe and profitable for them. The point being, unless and until tea garden workers are organised and a class conscious movement ignited, such anti workers policies will and can be taken. Afterall, this capitalist system profits from the labour power of workers these labour codes guarantee easy, cheap and deunionised workers.
Neither was the 1955 workers movement a lucky strike nor was it just a spontaneous one. It was an organised workers movement and it had generated a political ripple in the hills and the plains of West Bengal. Likewise only an organised uprising of the working class can save itself from the ruins of capitalism and it’s growing hegemony. The future lies in the hope that the tea garden workers understand this collective power they hold and yield in their arms.
Meanwhile, the hope and struggle for the better future and dignified livelihood of tea garden workers continues…..
