Strike or Bandh the right word - A Confusion

The issue is likely to open up a much wider debate than that concerning India's industrial future or the Late Swami Laxamananda Saraswati. The right to go on strike be treated as a basic - if not fundamental right in any democratic society., whether it professes socialism, capitalism or any other ism between the two.

The problem largely stems from semnatics, a confusion of terms between a voluntary strike or an enforced strike, popularly called as bandh. A voluntary strike - a refusal to protest against low wages anything else- is the obverse of the basic right to seek or to work. Much used bt M.K.Gandhi in his struggle for independence,the voluntary strike is the cornerstone of our democracy. As a legitimate form of dissent by deed -or rather , non-deed - the right to strike ought to be a basic right in a free society.

The Non Voluntary strike, or bandh,where force , or threat of force, is used to paralyse normal life is a clear violation of the rights of non-participating citizens to pursue their everyday business and must be deemed illegal - even when it styles itself as that ultimate paradox common to Bengal or any other parts of the country: the state sponsored bandh,which implies that the state is protesting against its own inequities.

So, should strike be banned? No. Should Bandhs be banned? Yes. Or else The Big Industrialists, will exercise their democratic right to go on strike - by striking out for whichever place offers the most business friendly environment.