During the Indian freedom struggle, a general strike was jointly called by the Girni Kamgar Union and the railway workers in Bombay in March 1929. This strike was actually in protest against which government measure?

Introduction / Context:
This question combines labour history with the broader national movement. The general strike in Bombay in March 1929, involving both the Girni Kamgar Union (textile mill workers) and railway workers, was a significant event that reflected growing worker militancy and opposition to repressive labour legislation proposed by the colonial government.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The event is a general strike in Bombay in March 1929.
• Participants included the Girni Kamgar Union and railway workers.
• We must identify the specific measure against which the strike was directed.
• Options mention Dominion Status, the Whitley Commission, the Trade Disputes Bill and worker dismissals.

Concept / Approach:
In the late 1920s, the British government introduced the Public Safety Bill and the Trade Disputes Bill to restrict labour rights and curb the influence of communists and trade unions. The Trade Disputes Bill proposed limitations on the right to strike and strengthened government control over trade union activities. This angered workers and union leaders. The March 1929 Bombay general strike was organised mainly in protest against the government determination to push the Trade Disputes Bill through the Central Legislative Assembly, which workers saw as a direct attack on their rights.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Place the event in the correct political context: late 1920s, when repressive labour bills were debated.Step 2: Recall that the Public Safety Bill and the Trade Disputes Bill were strongly opposed by workers and nationalists.Step 3: Focus on the wording of the question: a general strike by mill and railway workers in March 1929 in Bombay.Step 4: Standard exam accounts state that this strike was specifically against the government insistence on passing the Trade Disputes Bill.Step 5: Compare this with the options and identify option c as the best match.

Verification / Alternative check:
History books and exam manuals that cover labour movements in colonial India explicitly link the March 1929 Bombay strike to protest against the Trade Disputes Bill. They explain that workers feared restrictions on their right to organise and strike. The other events listed in the options either occurred at different times or did not directly trigger this particular general strike.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The Congress acceptance of Dominion Status: This was a political debate within the Congress and the national movement; it was not the direct cause of the 1929 Bombay strike.The visit of the Whitley Commission on Labour: While important for labour policy, the strike in question is not primarily associated with this visit.The dismissal of workers who had taken part in the 1928 strikes: Worker dismissals did occur, but the general strike highlighted in exam literature is tied more specifically to opposition to the Trade Disputes Bill.

Common Pitfalls:
Because several labour-related issues existed at the same time, students may confuse which strike corresponded to which grievance. Another pitfall is focusing only on the Public Safety Bill and forgetting the Trade Disputes Bill. To avoid such confusion, memorise that the March 1929 Bombay general strike by the Girni Kamgar Union and railway workers is chiefly remembered as a protest against the Trade Disputes Bill being forced through the legislature.

Final Answer:
The March 1929 general strike in Bombay was in protest against the government insistence on passing the Trade Disputes Bill through the Central Legislative Assembly.