We are the Indian Stone Workers Association of America (ISWAA). We came to the United States on R-1 religious visas. We were made to perform construction labor at BAPS temple sites for as little as $1.20 an hour. We are workers, not volunteers. We have formed a solidarity union to demand recognition of that fact.
Years of stonework without adequate protections have caused many of us to develop health problems, including incurable silicosis and other respiratory illnesses. Eleven of our colleagues who built the temple have died: Ramesh Chandra Meena, Devi Lal, Bhagwandas Chamar, Gajendar Kumar, Ghanshyam, Mohan Lal, Puran Singh, Bachchu Singh, Magi Lal, Pankaj Khant and Gautam Singh. Several others remain seriously ill.
The legal cases against BAPS continue to progress slowly. We have been contacted by individuals claiming BAPS affiliation, asking us to drop the legal case. We have concerns about our safety and the safety of our families in India. Long separation has affected many of our families. Some have broken apart. We have been unable to witness the passing of parents and close relatives.
While we have waited, BAPS has expanded, building new temples and forming political connections in India and the United States. We continue to follow the call of Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar: educate, agitate, organise.
