Page "George Fernandes" Paragraph 9

The strike, which started on 8 May 1974, at the time of economic crisis, provoked strong government reactions and massive arrests.

According to Amnesty International, 30, 000 trade unionists were detained, most held under preventive detention laws.

Those arrested included not only members of the strike action committee and trade unionists, but also railwaymen who participated in the strike.

The strike was called off unilaterally on 27 May 1974 by the Action Committee.

As explained later by Fernandes, " the strike was called off because those conducting the strike had started speaking in different voices.

" Although large number of prisoners were released, among them Fernandes, thousands remained in detention, charged with specific offences.

The strike led to a sense of insecurity and threat that led to Indira Gandhi ’ s imposition of the Emergency era in 1975.

Previous strikes were aimed at companies or industries, but this stike was aimed at the government, and from its ramifications proved to be the most successful of disastrous industrial actions in Indian history.