The police rescue of 12 bonded labourers from a factory in Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh starkly reminds us of India’s persistent, shameful system of forced labour. Hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar, Uttarakhand, and Nepal, the labourers were lured by false promises of decent wages, food, and accommodation for working in the manufacturing unit. The victims’ identity documents were taken away, and they were forced to work gruelling, day-long shifts. They were under constant surveillance in the premises guarded by pit bulls. Some of them reportedly endured this ordeal for over 18 months. Their demands for wages were met with severe beatings and torture. Police and government officials acted on a tip-off and raided the unit, rescuing the workers. However, some of the culprits involved in the operation are still at large.
Bonded labour was abolished by law in 1976, but cases continue to surface across the country, exposing an unaddressed systemic failure in enforcing the ban. The Muzaffarnagar incident highlights administrative shortfalls in monitoring for possible violations. It is alarming that an industrial unit was allowed to exploit workers undetected for months. This incident also reflects the desperation of job-seekers and growing vulnerabilities that push them into exploitative workplaces. Most of the victims were picked up from railway stations and public places while they were looking for work. A substantial segment of work-related migration in India is tied to the informal and unorganised sectors, exposing many to deceptive offers of employment. Once trapped in these abusive setups and the documents seized, escape becomes extremely difficult. That many of these captive workers are unaware of their legal and human rights further complicates redress. Weak enforcement, despite strong criminal laws, enables such informal workplaces to function outside the regulatory scope.
For the administrators, rehabilitating the rescued workers remains one of the toughest challenges. Many survivors require medical treatment and psychological counselling, apart from fair compensation and sustainable livelihoods to rebuild their lives. The onus is on the state to provide these; its role extends beyond legal obligations to ensuring justice and dignity for the victims. The persistence of bonded labour and manual scavenging raises deeper moral questions for society. Oppressive labour practices adopted on farms, in factories, and at other workplaces reflect not only a failure of law enforcement but also a disregard for human dignity. The continued existence of practices that violate individuals’ fundamental rights and honour reminds us simultaneously of institutional gaps and society’s collective inability to eliminate such exploitation. (Source: DH)
