Former BAPS worker recounts struggle for justice in US
A former stone carver from India describes his eight-year ordeal at a temple construction site in New Jersey, highlighting ongoing legal disputes involving the BAPS organization.
Rajeev Y., a 35-year-old father of three from Rajasthan, describes his initial excitement at securing a construction job in the United States eight years ago. According to the former worker, the opportunity appeared to be a path to a better life for his family. However, his experience at a large temple site in Robbinsville, New Jersey, quickly devolved into what he characterized as a lack of personal freedom and strict confinement within the compound.
Rajeev is one of several Indian workers who have filed a class action lawsuit against the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, commonly known as BAPS. The religious organization has faced significant scrutiny in recent years, particularly after allegations of forced labor and immigration violations surfaced in American media. While BAPS has consistently denied these charges, the group has recently drawn attention in France due to a dispute involving the Eiffel Tower, where staff protested during a private visit by BAPS leaders.
Allegations of confined working conditions
In a phone interview conducted in Hindi, Rajeev detailed the conditions he faced upon arrival in the United States. He stated that his passport was confiscated immediately, a move he said was used to restrict his movement. According to Rajeev, workers were warned that leaving the compound could result in police intervention and imprisonment due to their immigration status. He described the site as a central prison where his daily routine consisted solely of stonework, with no opportunity for social interaction or leisure.
The recruitment of workers from Rajasthan is not uncommon for temple projects, as the region is renowned for its skilled stone carvers and intricate lattice work. For many of these artisans, the promise of international work is appealing, yet the reality for some has been marked by isolation. Rajeev noted that while the temple construction represented a major architectural undertaking, the human cost for the workers involved has been significant, particularly given their status as Dalits, who belong to the lowest rung of India’s social hierarchy.
Legal battles and ongoing scrutiny
By 2021, US media outlets had detailed specific allegations of abuse and trafficking against BAPS, bringing the organization’s practices to a wider international audience. According to reports, the legal proceedings have become a focal point for advocates of labor rights, who argue that the case highlights broader issues regarding the treatment of migrant workers in religious institutions. The organization maintains that it has always operated within legal frameworks and denies any involvement in illegal labor practices.
Personal toll on separated families
For Rajeev, the financial and legal struggles have come at a profound personal cost. For the past eight years, he has been unable to physically hold or play with his three children in India. His presence in their lives has been reduced to video calls, where he appears as a distant figure working to support his family from abroad. Despite his eventual release from the construction site, Rajeev says he continues to seek justice for the time and labor he feels were unfairly taken from him.
As the legal case progresses, observers are watching closely for developments in the US court system. The outcome may have implications for how religious organizations recruit and manage foreign labor in the United States. For now, Rajeev and his co-plaintiffs remain in a prolonged legal battle, seeking recognition of their rights and compensation for the conditions they endured during the temple’s construction.
