Comments on: Solapur – Exploiting The Beedi Workers

By: Mirza Y Baig

Mirza Y Baig — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 01:38:47 +0000

Many thanks for the detailed post Sir. I know people on the other end, Beedi company owners who are extremely wealthy. The dilemma here seems to be that the morality the social responsibility and the integrity of doing something which is in itself harmful for society and harmful for users That’s on one side and the other side of course is the exploitation of the workers. The truth if that even if the workers were not exploited even if they were given you know 10 times what they were getting now it still doesn’t take away the fact that what they do is really something which is if it is not illegal is certainly immoral and unethical. This is like people working in the alcohol industry for example. Alcohol is a drug. It’s one of the most destructive addictive substances known to mankind. Yet because it makes money. What’s needed in the kids that you quoted is to find alternate employment for those people. But like the prime Minister said Mr manmohan Singh that we cannot provide new jobs so we will not take away jobs that exist. That’s a cop out. While I agree that no government can be expected to provide jobs for every single citizen of the country. That is not the job of the government. But what should happen and we should do is through entrepreneurship create jobs where all of these people and more can be provided employment as well as create new jobs for new generations who coming to the market that is a solution Thank you so much for your posts always very helpful and thought for working.

By: Govind Sharma

Govind Sharma — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 06:31:13 +0000

Thank you for raising concern about the Beedi workers sir.
I saw in my childhood, many women in Bhiwandi that is Mumbai Metropolitan Region specially Telugu women are engaged in the beedi rolling business and yes, majority of the women are in these trade, but I never had the economics of the way you calculated and shown.
Comparing rolling beedi with cigarette is not justifiable as a bundle of Bidi costs equal to 2 cigarette. Thus paying a minimum wage is not justifiable. Having said that, the point you raised about their exploitation for rejecting more than 5 percent and others are shocking and absolutely an exploitation. Thank you for this awareness..

By: Vineet Kaul

Vineet Kaul — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 03:16:21 +0000

Thanks Vivek for one more ground report n reality check The minute details that you have shared r an eye opener . Yes, the taxation/ policy changes are a sleight of hand has a big role in bringing obsolence . The leader in cigarette / tobacco industry in India has charmed the nation with its excellent surrogate advertising n CSR work Implementation n Enforcement of basic labour law by Labour Department is a distant dream these days ( my own experience ) . More n more concessions r doled out to Industry in the hope of creating new jobs ?? Focus in Conferences continues on AI in HR , Well being n Diversity One can only Hope n Pray !!

By: Shailendra Pol

Shailendra Pol — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 02:15:59 +0000

This write up is showing tip of iceberg. Many things to come in light. It is well balanced. Eagerly waiting for next part sir.

By: Vikas Shirodkar

Vikas Shirodkar — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 10:45:39 +0000

Vivek
It was like a veil was raised n we saw the stark reality on the other side
Never been exposed to this reality so thanks for show casing what we tend to typically ignore or push under the carpet.
It was great that you could meet up with Adam Master whom you have introduced to us earlier

Only thing i felt this was like a documentary just showing facts
What would have been great if we heard Vivek’ voice or his own special take on the reality he saw….your interpretation was sorely missed
Hope that we will be able to get those learnings in the next blog
You have set the stage in this one
Take it ahead is my only request

By: Monodip Chaudhuri

Monodip Chaudhuri — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 07:24:30 +0000

Most informative and equally shocking.I applaud you for exposing this immense social injustice