Which of the following statements is incorrect in relation to the Railway Strike of May 1974?

The government accepted the demands of the striking workers

The correct answer is Option 3 - The government accepted the demands of the striking workers

Option 1- The government declared the strike illegal. (correct)
Option 2- The government arrested many of their leaders and deployed the territorial army to protect railway tracks. (correct)
Option 3- The government accepted the demands of the striking workers (incorrect)
Option 4- None of the above. (correct)

Option 3 is incorrect as the government did not accept the demands of the striking workers.

The National Coordination Committee for Railwaymen’s Struggle led by George Fernandes gave a call for a nationwide strike by all employees of the Railways for pressing their demands related to bonuses and service conditions. The government was opposed to these demands. So, the employees of India’s largest public sector undertaking went on a strike in May 1974. The strike by the Railway employees added to the atmosphere of labor unrest. It also raised issues like the rights of the workers and whether employees of essential services should adopt measures like strikes.

The government declared the strike illegal. As the government refused to concede the demands of the striking workers, arrested many of their leaders and deployed the territorial army to protect railway tracks, the strike had to be called off after twenty days without any settlement.