Conclusion: Covert Resistance and Collective Action

Summary

In early October 2005, 18 boatmen were captured and arrested by the Dashashvamedh ghat police for operating as ‘fake tour guides’ for pilgrims and foreign tourists. The news of the arrests quickly spread across the riverfront. A large group of boatmen congregated on the main ghat, calling for the police to stop harassing their community. By evening a local Congress Party leader had also arrived to join the protest in front of the Dashashvamedh police post. The boatmen demanded the release of the arrested persons and the immediate dismissal of all charges. The following morning a meeting was convened at the ghat and the boatmen decided to stage an indefinite strike, halting all boating on the river, and subsequently shutting down the main fish and vegetable market in Banaras. According to newspaper reports, the arrests had been made in response to the demands by the Government Approved Tourist Guide Association (GATGA) for legal action against unlicensed guides operating in the city.

The boatmen continued their strike and protests over the following days, threatening to refuse participation in the upcoming festival of Durga Puja unless their demands were met. This was a serious threat, as thousands of pilgrims from across India arrive in Banaras for the occasion to perform a ritual immersion of the Goddess Durga in the River Ganga. The boatmen and their boats were essential for what is considered the climax of the Durga Puja celebrations. Clearly, the boatmen themselves stood to loose money from the collective action.