Nowadays, Sunday is all about relaxation and rejuvenation. After 6 hectic days of stress and working, Sunday relaxes your body and mind. Also in many places, the week is just 5 days. People get off on Saturday and Sunday. But most of the places in India have Sunday as a holiday. The idea of 5 days working was proposed by the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi Ji. But we all don’t know the struggle which we had to do to get Sunday as a holiday. Sunday is not a holiday in India before. Moreover, people don’t know when the week starts and end. As they have to work the whole week without any of. This becomes hectic and stressful for Indian.
History Behind Sunday as a Holiday
The reason behind Sunday as a holiday includes a long struggle and fight back with the British Government. The whole credit for this goes to Indian leader, Narayan Meghaji Lokhande. During British rule in India, people use to work the whole day. They didn’t get any off to relax. They have to work on all 7 days of the week. Then, Narayan Lokhande Ji, labor leader talked with the British Government on giving a holiday in a week. But initially, the British Government refused the proposal. But he didn’t lose hope and started a massive movement with the supports of laborers. He demanded the amendment in the Indian Industrial act in 1881. His movement was very intense and many laborers across India join the movement. They left the work for their demands.
Demands by Narayan Lokhande Ji for labors
Sunday must be a holiday
Lunchtime must be given to all workers in between their work time.
The specific timing of the shift must be allocated.
If any labor gets injured during work, he or she must be given rest and full wages up to his recovery.
In the case of death in the workplace, dependents must be given a pension or work.
The scale of movement was so large that around 10 thousand workers attended the movement in the racecourse area in Mumbai. Thus on 10th June 1890, the British Government passed a revolution that makes Sunday a holiday. Also, they allowed the lunch break between the shift.
By:-
Prakhar Sharma
Founder, Upgrading India
