Bonded labour has persisted in India for hundreds of years, and it continues to haunt around 1% of the population in the country today. Bonded labour is a form of forced labour involving a debt or obligation to the creditor, where at least one of the rights to freedom of movement, freedom of employment, right to be paid minimum wage, and/or right to sell goods at market value is revoked. In India, bonded labour has been found in various industries, including brick kilns, rock quarries, rice mills, agriculture, construction, bidi rolling and carpet weaving.

The Bonded Labour (Abolition) Act came into existence in India in 1976, aiming to abolish all forms of bonded labour in India. It provides for the criminal prosecution and punishment of perpetrators as well as designating and empowering government officials to identify, release and rehabilitate bonded labourers. Although the Act completely outlaws the practice of bonded labour, low political will, lack of awareness and persisting poverty among the lower castes has contributed to India’s failure to enforce the law. As a result, bonded labour still survives.

According to the Ministry of Labour and Employment Annual Report, 2008-09, and India Census Data, 2001, around 86.6% of bonded labourers come from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe community, which make up 24.4% of the Indian population.

“Every month, new rescues take place around India in which hundreds of people, from industries like brick kilns, agriculture, rice mills and construction, come out of bondage. And yet there is still debate as to the very existence of bonded labour in India. In our unwillingness to recognise this issue, we unknowingly prosper at the incredible expense of our fellow people around the country,” said Shantanu Dutta, convener of the Bandhua 1947 campaign.