“The fundamental unit of humanity is nation and not the class. Taking into account the fact, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) gave the visionary slogan that would unite all the nations – ‘workers unite the world’, rejecting the slogan of the factionalists (communist groups) that would disintegrate each and every nation namely – ‘workers of the world unite’. Our ideal is that each nation should remain united on the principles of humanity and the entire humanity should become a family based on cordial relations among nations.”
– Shri Dattopant Thengadi, Organising Secretary of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, while presenting his report during the first Annual Conference on August 12, 1967
Starting an organisation is easier in a democratic setup; sustaining it without compromising on the envisioned values for more than seven decades, amidst all odds, is a herculean task. When socialism and communism were the buzzwords and considered as the only antidote to exploitative capitalism, coming with a slogan of ‘Industrialise the Nation, Labourise the Industry and Nationalise the Labour’ was considered a matter of ridicule. The journey of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) is marking seventy years of formal establishment on July 23, 1955. It is an opportune time to revisit this remarkable evolution of the BMS, its contributions to reshaping the labour agenda, and its potential role in mitigating future challenges in the labour movement.
When Dattopant Thengandi, a Pracharak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), spent time with the existing labour organisations and came to the conclusion that none of them are genuinely working in the interests of the labour, industry or nation but ‘misusing labourers for their political ends’. The entire trade unionism was captured with the red flag of communism, and class struggle was considered the only option. Bharat did not have any economic thought, and certainly not in the field of labour, was the firm conviction of the intellectuals and unionists at that point of time. Marx negated religion, but his Marxism virtually turned into a cult, and anyone taking a contrary stand would be considered an enemy of the labour class. ‘Rashtra’ or nation was considered a class structure, and to be internationalist, rejecting everything national was a precondition. Thengandi ji drew inspiration from the Second Sarsanghchalak of the RSS, Sri Guruji Golwalkar, and introduced the integral humanist approach articulated by Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya in economics. A national vision for the labour movement was the outcome of the same process.
After seventy years, a national perspective is well-established in the labour sector, and the saffron flag, accompanied by slogans like ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, is an accepted norm. Going beyond the binaries of industrialists versus trade unions, tripartite dialogue is an established practice with the government as a third actor, and BMS is playing a constructive role in shaping the policy apparatus without compromising on workers’ interests and zeal for agitation. The self-employed skilled labour never fit into the Marxist paradigm. BMS has introduced the Vishwakarma Sector and established September 17 as the National Labour Day, commemorating Vishwakarma Day. Now the ‘self-employed workers’ is a recognised category in the international discourse. The same is the story with the unorganised sector, constituting ninety per cent of the total labour workforce. From Anganwadi to housemaids – BMS has mainstreamed their concerns and brought them under the ambit of government schemes, which trade unionists tied to political interests could never consider. BMS has become the largest organisation or federation of trade unions in terms of numbers and is recognised at the national and international levels by various governments and multilateral organisations. BMS is a regular invitee to the pre-budget consultation, irrespective of who is in power, and has been continuously invited by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to be party in formulating the international labour discourse. Forums like the G-20 and BRICS also consider the only national labour organisation of Bharat as a genuine representative. These are remarkable achievements for an organisation rooted in the Bharatiya ethos.
The moment of celebration is also an occasion of introspection. The field of labour is changing fast due to technological advancements. The traditional manufacturing industry has changed, and so has the nature of the labour movement. The machines are quickly replacing the conventional requirements of workers. Skilling and upskilling are the new requirements. BMS has a tradition of training programmes and, therefore, is in a better position to take the lead in shaping the societal skill set for Industrial Revolution 4.0. After reshaping the agenda, resetting the skills is a need for all three constituents – industry, workers and Bharat as a nation. Artificial Intelligence is poised to present a new set of challenges in the coming decades, and maintaining human-centric development with real intelligence will be a universal need. Bharat and organisations like BMS can play a constructive role in this process.
The BMS is a success story of the RSS school of thought, through which the Bharatiya vision to nationalise the labour discourse with persistent effort has been established. Amidst global uncertainties and a new set of conflicts, communism and capitalism are recognised as failed ideologies that are unable to provide solutions. The Bharatiya vision of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – familial globalisation – where each nation has the right to choose its model of development, rooted in its culture, and remains connected to universal values – is still a distant dream. In the progressive unfolding of this great endeavour called BMS, all of us need to contribute in every possible way, as nationalised labour in Bharat is a guarantee for international peace and stability, with the universalisation of welfare.
