Ye Kaisi Azaadi Hai (What freedom is this?), a music video, was dedicated to the people of India by Dr. Shanti Patel, a veteran freedom fighter and ex-mayor of Mumbai, on 21 October 2008, at the ISKON Convention Centre, Juhu, Mumbai. Initiated by Social Security Now, a campaign for securing social security as a right of the Indian workforce, the video has been made available to all for circulation and education, and in campaigns for social security.

The video describes the plight of the millions of people who struggle to make ends meet. Jagjit Singh, the acclaimed maestro of the ghazal, gives voice to the lyrics of poet Nida Fazli. “Who else could be more suited to bring this message than Shri Jagjit Singh, who is accredited with bringing the ghazal genre, previously restricted to the elite classes, to the masses?” said J John, Executive Director of Centre for Education and Communication, and a member of Social Security Now, in his speech on the occasion. The video adaptation was done by Pravin Mishra of LightzMedia.

Raju Bhise, the coordinator of Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action (YUVA), welcomed the guests and spoke of the importance of social security for the over 420 million informal workers of the country. He also chronicled the history of the Social Security Now campaign and its genesis at the Nagpur Convention in 2006.

Ye Kaisi Azaadi Hai? wondered Dr. Shanti Patel while recollecting the sacrifices of the freedom struggle. Dedicating the video, he spoke about the `unfreedom` into which the last 18 years of economic liberalisation has pushed people. He expressed his deep appreciation for the lyrics and visual sequences, which highlight the uncertainties of the everyday lives of Indian workers. He emphasised the relevance of the Social Security Now campaign, particularly in a situation in which jobless growth and contractualisation dominate the employment sphere.

Quoting the World Bank`s latest estimates on global poverty of 456 million people in India living below the new international poverty line of $1.25 per day, J John asked a simple question: “Are they poor because they are not working? People are plagued by poverty and hunger not because they are not working, but because the income they earn is not sufficient to meet theirs and their families` basic necessities.” The poor of India are the working poor.

Social Security Now is a network of organisations that includes trade unions, civil society organisations, people`s movements and concerned individuals, who defend the right to social security legislation for more than 93 per cent of the about 450 million workers in India. Unorganised and informal workers are denied the benefits of existing employment regulations and social security laws, and instead are offered social assistance schemes by the state as charity. This is because employment is not regulated; work and its value is not recognised. Globalisation has only compounded the distress of unorganised workers; employment is becoming increasingly informal, and the few and disparate social assistance schemes are being privatised. This despite the fact that these workers have helped build our nation and now contribute more than 60 per cent of the GDP.

Social Security Now has launched this video as part of its massive campaign to reach out to the masses to ensure that workers receive social security as a right. The fraternity of artistes and film-makers lending their weight to the cause of unorganised workers is expected to strengthen the demand for adoption of the `Unorganised Workers Social Security Bill` by Parliament in its current session, and to sensitise the masses for a struggle beyond the forthcoming general elections.