New Delhi: A resident of Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, had borrowed Rs 10,000 from a contractor for his son’s wedding. When he failed to repay the loan, the contractor, conspired with a builder and compelled the father and his two sons to engage in bonded labor in Chawri Bazaar, Delhi. They were subjected to extended working hours, confined to the workplace, and received no compensation.The relentless cycle of exploitation persisted for 24 hours a day until it was disrupted after eight months, when the younger son suffered a severe injury while doing hard labour. To evade the expenses of his medical care, the builder and contractor resorted to intimidation, forcing them to leave.In the absence of medical treatment, the young man’s vision is now deteriorating. This is not an anecdote from a feudal estate of the medieval period but a tragedy that took place between February and October 2024, merely five kilometers from the Indian Parliament.This is not an isolated occurrence. In the ‘new India’ of the 21st century, there are millions of bonded labourers. The Government of India established a goal in 2016 to liberate and rehabilitate 18.4 million bonded labourers by the year 2030.However, the Government of India’s determination to eradicate bonded labour is not a recent development. In 1976, the government enacted the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, rendering it illegal. Yet, it continues to exist within Indian society today.Families, including minor children forced to work as bonded labourers across IndiaIn Haryana’s Sonipat, an incident involved a family from Baghpat district in Uttar Pradesh, where eight members were held as bonded laborers for a duration of five months and fifteen days in exchange for an advance payment of Rs. 10,000.Among them, four were minors, including a one-year-old girl. The labourers, including the minors, were compelled to work without any remuneration and were provided only minimal sustenance to survive. One family member escaped due to extreme hunger, prompting the others to flee the following day, abandoning their possessions.Tragically, even though the family managed to return to their city after a long journey, a female member’s health deteriorated en route, leading to her death upon arrival at home.In Muzaffarnagar, a father borrowed Rs 10,000 from a local jaggery factory owner to fund medical treatment for his young son, who had been injured in a road accident in 2021. By 2023, when the loan remained unpaid, the factory owner forced the father, his wife, and their five children to reside and work as labourers at the factory, promising a monthly payment of Rs 45,000 in return.From August 16, 2023 to May 31, 2024, the two eldest children also contributed to the work. However, upon requesting their wages at the end of the season, the owner claimed that all funds had been used for their sustenance, leaving only Rs 45,000, which would be disbursed later. When the family expressed their intention to return home, their belongings were confiscated.Months later, the owner forcibly brought them back to the factory, and they were made to work not only at the factory but also at other locations till April 2025. During this time, they faced hunger, physical abuse, and mistreatment, particularly towards the debtor’s wife, and ultimately, they were dismissed without receiving their due wages.Numerous additional examples can be cited, as organisations operating in this sector possess extensive documentation of such cases. In the aforementioned three instances, the victims’ statements have not been recorded, they have not been issued release certificates, their salaries remain unpaid, and no investigations or actions have been initiated against the perpetrators.The Union government’s vision document states that ‘the process of punishment must be reinforced to prevent new forms of bondage and ensure that all offenders are held accountable. The failure to document statements, recognise victims as bonded labourers, and issue release certificates presents a significant challenge, hindering victims’ access to rehabilitation support.The vision document of the Union government for abolishing bonded labour.‘District administration frequently fails to issue release certificates’The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government has established a rehabilitation program for bonded labourers, which includes provisions for immediate financial assistance of Rs 30,000 to those rescued. Additional rehabilitation support of Rs 1 lakh, Rs 2 lakh, and Rs 3 lakh is available, determined by the worker’s category and the extent of their exploitation, provided bonded labour is certified.However, this can only occur when the District Magistrate or Sub-Divisional Magistrate identifies the bonded labourer and provides a release certificate.Nirmal Gorana, the convener of the National Campaign Committee for Eradication of Bonded Labour, an organisation dedicated to the identification, rescue, and rehabilitation of bonded labourers at the national level, told The Wire that the identification of bonded labourers is not a priority for government authorities, and the district administration frequently fails to issue release certificates.The most recent data submitted to Parliament indicates that fewer than 500 bonded labourers have been rehabilitated in the fiscal year 2023-24. In contrast, the central government had established a goal in 2016 to identify, liberate, and rehabilitate 1.84 crore bonded labourers by the year 2030.To meet this objective, the government must rehabilitate approximately 13.14 lakh bonded labourers annually. Furthermore, the information released by the Ministry of Labour and Employment in response to inquiries made in the Lok Sabha on August 5, 2024, reveals a consistent decline in the number of rehabilitated bonded labourers each year.Data provided by the Union government in the Lok Sabha about rehabilitation of bonded labourers.Outlook reported in August 2024, referencing an RTI, indicates that the rehabilitation rate for bonded labourers has decreased by approximately 80% over the past three years, with an average of merely 900 labourers rehabilitated annually. The accompanying data reveals that only 468 workers were rehabilitated during the 2023-24 period.The central government had aimed to halve the number of bonded labourers within seven years, as outlined in its 2016 vision document. Current trends suggest that this goal remains unfulfilled. According to an IndiaSpend report from the previous year, if the government continues at its current pace, only two percent of the target will be met by 2030.Union government passing on the responsibility to statesAlthough the central government has not met its targets, it can evade accountability due to Section 13 of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, which mandates that the state government establish a vigilance committee in each district and its subdivisions as deemed necessary. This committee is tasked with advising the district magistrate or an authorised officer on the effective enforcement of the Act.Furthermore, the committee is charged with facilitating the economic and social rehabilitation of released bonded labourers. The central government administers the rehabilitation program solely through the Ministry of Labour and Employment, which supports state governments in the rehabilitation process. It is important to highlight that this program operates on a demand-driven basis.Consequently, if the targets are not achieved, the central government can shift the responsibility to the state governments.Who qualifies as a bonded labourer?A report from the Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking indicates that this crime predominantly impacts individuals and groups who are already disadvantaged, marginalised, and subjected to discrimination. A research study conducted by Javed Alam Khan in 2018, titled “Assessing Budgetary Priorities for the Rehabilitation of Bonded Labour,” reveals that approximately 10 percent of India’s total workforce is classified as bonded labourers.Among those who have been rehabilitated, 83 per cent belong to the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe communities.Reflecting on his experiences, Gorana notes that the majority of bonded labourers are Dalits, tribals, and members of backward classes, stating that he has yet to encounter a bonded labourer from the upper castes.Gorana attributes this situation primarily to the lack of education and resources among Dalits, tribals, and backward classes. There is a consensus that the practice of bonded labour serves as a stark indicator of economic exploitation, as well as a reflection of a social system where poverty, caste, and inequality continue to foster exploitation.Translated from the Hindi original – published first on The Wire Hindi – by Naushin Rehman.