The Indefinite strike by Central Governement Employees, started from 11th July 1960, was the first major strike in Independent India. The strike was organised under the auspices of the Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers ( including the National Federation of P and T Employees), All India Railwaymens Federation and All India Defence Employees Federation. It lasted for 5 days and was withdrawn after the facing the fury of the government machinery, which arrested, punished, jailed, terminated, suspended and punished thousands of workers. Railway workers were killed in Bikaner and Pathankot. The government brought in to force for the first time the draconian ‘Essential Service Maintenance Ordinance’ against the striking workers. Although the strike was supressed by the state machinery, the Government was compelled later to take back all the dismissed employees and reduce the punishments. And it was also compelled to concede some of the demands, even though after some years.
The 1960 strike inspired a whole generation of workers like me, who was a young participant and punished.