The recruitment process of tea garden workers in West Bengal: From the colonial era to recent times/ পশ্চিমবঙ্গে চা বাগানের শ্রমিক নিয়োগ প্রক্রিয়া : ঔপনিবেশিক যুগ থেকে সাম্প্রতিক সময় পর্যন্ত

Abstract

Tea gardens, the green spectacle arranged on the slopes of the mountains delight our eyes, the tea from them brings mental peace, but the tea garden workers working in these tea gardens have not yet been able to get out of the vicious circle of colonial oppression. Tea cultivation began at a time when there was no concept of civil rights and slavery was legal. These tea workers and their families have been working for generations after generations for more than 150 years, yet they have not been able to come into the mainstream of society. In this article, we will explore the recruitment process and current status of tea garden workers. After the Charter Act of 1833, the tea industry in this country started, the commercialization of tea cultivation began, the sole purpose of which was to gain maximum profit. Starting from the investment in this industry, the recruitment of workers, and the determination of their salaries, everything was centered around the imperialist greed. Then various laws were passed to retain this profit, which legitimized that process. After independence, the Indian government has taken various steps to improve the living standards of workers in Darjeeling and the surrounding tea gardens, but the problem is so entrenched in long-term complications that its complete elimination still remains elusive.