Question

In 1974, the nationwide strike by all the employees of the Railways was led by which of the following leaders?

• A. Jayaprakash Narayan
• B. Charu Majumdar
• C. George Fernandes
• D. Indira Gandhi

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

• The nationwide railway strike of 1974 is considered one of the largest industrial actions in India’s history.
• It was led by George Fernandes, who was the President of the All India Railwaymen’s Federation at that time.
• The strike involved around 17 lakh (1.7 million) railway workers and lasted for about 20 days.
• The major demands of the workers included better working conditions, pay parity with other public sector employees, and regulated hours of work.
• The strike brought the entire Indian Railways—the lifeline of the nation—to a standstill and was seen as a major challenge to the government led by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
• The government responded with a heavy crackdown: mass arrests, dismissals, and suppression of protests, ultimately leading to the strike being called off without meeting the demands.
• This strike is historically significant as it reflected rising discontent among the working class and was one of the contributing factors to the declaration of the Emergency in 1975.

So, the correct answer is (C): George Fernandes.

Answer 2

The historic 1974 Railways strike was led by George Fernandes, who was then the president of All India Railwaymen's Federation.

Key Details:

• Largest industrial action in independent India at that time
• Lasted for 20 days (May 8-28, 1974)
• Involved 1.7 million railway workers
• Major challenge to Indira Gandhi's government
• Led to large-scale arrests including Fernandes' imprisonment

Correct Answer: (3) George Fernandes