In our history textbooks, we might have read about kings and queens having slaves. The practice was not restricted to India but was known worldwide. It reminds us of how inhumane, cruel, and unjust was the practice of slavery. It majorly targeted women and children. It was with the passage of time that slavery and its trade were shunned. History is evidence of it when kings gifted slaves to advance their political relations.
SLAVERY IN INDIA
Slavery, in all of its manifestations, has existed since the early ages of Indian history. Even while master and slave had common labour relations, slavery was by no means a uniform practice throughout India. While enslaved women were employed as dancers in affluent Rajput homes, Arab traders in the Deccan brought in military slaves. Although the North East used slaves in its agricultural techniques, the same institution also produced a reigning dynasty in northern India.
What is perhaps more astonishing is that slaves in India did not only accept their lowly status. They frequently realized that they had the chance to move up the social scale. Even though many of them ascended the political ladder and attained prominent bureaucratic posts, many of them made historical contributions by creating intricate works of architecture and art, establishing cities, and advancing the nation’s socioeconomic structure.
For instance, the Slave Dynasty of Medieval India is popularly known as the Delhi Sultanate. It was in 1206 when, Qutbuddin Aibak, a Turkish slave of Muhammad of Ghur succeeded him. Another slave, Yalduz, succeeded at Ghazni. As the ruler of Ghazni, Yalduz claimed to rule over Delhi as well. It is worth noting that a fellow slave of Qutbuddin Aibak, Qubacha, also declared himself an independent ruler of Multan and seized Lahore and parts of the Punjab. Hence evidencing the growth of slaves on social scales.
LAWS IN INDIA BANNING SLAVERY AND TRADE
Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act of 1976
India has a number of anti-slavery legislation and regulations. A major legislation was the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act of 1976. When the Act first came into effect, the bound laborers were released from all duty to provide bonded labor, which was the main relief granted to them.
Section 7 states that any property that is mortgaged in connection with a bonded debt will be released at the Act’s inception. A released bonded laborer is not allowed to leave their homestead under Section 8 of the statute. In accordance with the Act, anyone who forces someone to perform bonded labor faces up to three years in prison and a fine of up to 2000 rupees.
Other Provisions of IPC
-The Indian Penal Code, Section 374, recognizes the crime of unlawfully compelling someone to work for a living and imposes a sentence of up to one year in jail, a fine, or both.
-Section 26 of the Juvenile Justice Act of 2000 states that hiring a child for hazardous job carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison as well as a fine.
-No child shall be employed in any occupation or procedure that is forbidden under Section 3 of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986. Section 14 of the same act penalizes anyone who violates Section 3 by up to two years in prison and a fine of up to twenty thousand rupees.
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS TO BAN SLAVERY
With the passage of the Slavery Convention in 1926 and the subsequent adoption of the Supplementary Convention in 1957, the world community made its first significant attempt to outlaw slavery. An international definition of slavery is provided by the Slavery Convention and its supplemental text, which are helpful. Article 8 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights affirms that no one shall be held in slavery; slavery and slave trade in all their forms are prohibited.
Nations across the world have defined, legislated, and amended their policies of slavery and banned the practice. But, it is important to note that, with the passage of time the concept of slavery has evolved. A new concept ‘Modern Slavery’ has taken the place of the conventional one.
MODERN SLAVERY
The Global Slavery Index 2023 released by Walk Free Foundation informed that there is an increase of ‘modern slavery’ across the world with over 50 million people across the world. The Index claimed that this was an increase of over 25 percent in the past five years. The G20 nations were the subject of the research, which asserted that the United States, Turkey, China, Russia, Indonesia, and India were the top G20 nations with the highest percentages of forced labour.
The research paper also propounded the definition of modern slavery. The paper considers that- forced labor, forced marriage, debt bondage, commercial sexual exploitation, human trafficking, slavery-like behaviors, and the sale and exploitation of children fall under the umbrella of modern slavery. It further stated that it impedes economic growth, maintains inequality, and encourages corruption with the potential to threaten international security and stability.
To learn about other topics taught in school, explained by News18, here is a list of other Classes With News18: Queries Related to Chapters on Elections | Sex Versus Gender | Cryptocurrencies | Economy & Banks | How to Become President of India | Post Independence Struggle | How India Adopted Its Flag | Formation of States & United India | Tipu Sultan | Indian Teachers Day Different from Rest of the World |Queen Elizabeth & Colonialism | Article 370 |
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