Gherao, meaning "encirclement", is a word which denotes a tactic used by labour activists and union leaders in India; it is similar to
picketing
Picketing is a form of protest in which people (called pickets or picketers) congregate outside a place of work or location where an event is taking place. Often, this is done in an attempt to dissuade others from going in (" crossing the pi ...
. Usually, a group of people would surround a politician or a government building until their demands are met, or answers given. This principle was introduced as a formal means of protest in the labour sector by
Subodh Banerjee, the PWD and Labor Minister in the 1967 and 1969 United Front Governments of
West Bengal
West Bengal (; Bengali language, Bengali: , , abbr. WB) is a States and union territories of India, state in the East India, eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabi ...
, respectively.
Owing to its popularity, the word “gherao” was added to the Concise Oxford English Dictionary in 2004. Page 598 has the entry: “Gherao: n (pl. gheraos). Indian; a protest in which workers prevent employers leaving a place of work until demands are met; Origin: From Hindi” and Subodh Banerjee was referred to as the ''Gherao minister''.
Gherao was being used by farmers against government buildings in the
2020–2021 Indian farmers' protest.
See also
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Bandh
Bandh () is a form of protest used by political activists in South Asian countries such as India and Nepal. It is similar to a general strike. During a bandh, a political party or a community declare a general strike. For example, a ''Bharat (t ...
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Bossnapping
Bossnapping is a form of lock-in where employees detain management in the workplace, often in protest against lay-offs and redundancies, and has especially been carried out in France. The term gained wide usage in the media following a series of b ...
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Hartal
Hartal () is a term in many Languages of India, Indian languages for a strike action that was first used during the Indian independence movement (also known as the nationalist movement) of the early 20th century. A hartal is a mass protest, often ...
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Human chain (politics)
A human chain is a form of demonstration in which people link arms or hands as a show of political solidarity.
The chains can involve thousands of people, with the world record being claimed in 2020 by Bihar
Bihar ( ) is a states and un ...
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Lock-in
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Picketing
Picketing is a form of protest in which people (called pickets or picketers) congregate outside a place of work or location where an event is taking place. Often, this is done in an attempt to dissuade others from going in (" crossing the pi ...
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Raasta roko
Traffic obstruction is a common tactic used during public protests and political demonstrations.
Legality
Most jurisdictions consider the obstruction of traffic an illegal activity and have developed rules to prosecute those who ''block, obstru ...
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Rail roko
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Escrache
Escrache is a type of direct action demonstration which involves publicly harassing public figures, usually by congregating around their homes, chanting and publicly shaming them. In Argentina the term was coined by the human rights group HIJOS, ...
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Dharna
A sit-in or sit-down is a form of direct action that involves one or more people occupying an area for a protest, often to promote political, social, or economic change. The protestors gather conspicuously in a space or building, refusing to ...
References
Labour in India
Civil disobedience
Protests in India
Protest tactics
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