Bharat Bandh Updates: Normal life disrupted in several parts of the country
Central Trade Unions Tuesday began a two-day nationwide strike to protest against the government's alleged anti-worker policies and unilateral labour reforms.
Central Trade Unions Tuesday began a two-day nationwide strike to protest against the government's alleged anti-worker policies and unilateral labour reforms.
"The strike is quite visible in Assam, Meghalaya, Karnataka, Manipur Bihar, Rajasthan, Goa, Punjab, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Haryana -- particularly in the targeted industrial areas and different mines," Amarjeet Kaur, General Secretary of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), told PTI.
She said that some states' transport departments, taxi drivers and auto-rickshaw drivers have gone on strike for two days while Railway workers are holding gate meeting bearing black badge to express their solidarity.Kaur said that Jawaharlal Nehru University student unions have expressed their solidarity with trade unions; and other educational institution are expected to support the strike.
She also informed that transport department in Bhopal is closed completely and Haryana Roadways is also participating in the strike.As many as 10 Central Trade Unions (CTUs) have joined hands to go on a two-day nationwide strike from Tuesday. 20 crore workers are expected to join the strike.
This is the largest number of workers from formal and informal sectors joining a strike against anti-people and anti-worker policies of the BJP-led central government, she stated.She informed that sectors like telecom, health, education, coal, steel, electricity, banking, insurance and transport are supporting the strike.
The unions will go on protest march from Mandi House to Parliament in New Delhi on Wednesday. Similar protests would be done across the country.
Kaur had said the CTUs are also opposed to unilateral labour reforms.
The 10 CTUs which have gone on strike include INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC. RSS affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) will not participate.
"The government has failed to create jobs and grossly ignored unions' 12-point charter of demands. The Group of Ministers headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on labour issues has not called unions for any discussion since September 2, 2015 strike," Kaur had said on Monday.
In a joint statement, the CTUs had also alleged that the government undermined tripartism and continued its "aggressive attack with arrogance on the lives and livelihood of the working people." The unions are also opposed to the proposed amendments in Trade Union Act, 1926, saying those are irrational and extremely damaging to the independent functioning of unions.
The unions claim that farming communities through their associations have also extended support to the strike.
Even though there has been little effect of two-day strike called by Central Trade Unions in Kolkata, some areas in suburbs of the capital city of Bengal have been affected. Bandh supporters and trade union members tried vandalising a school bus in Barasat, located in outskirts of Kolkata while it was ferrying children to the school ok Tuesday morning.
The incident took place around 7am at the Chapadali more in Barasat when some agitators attacked a school bus while it was ferrying children to the school. The driver of the school bus was also beaten up and children on the bus panicked. Later, police reached the spot and escorted the bus out of the area.
Protestors also vandalised government-run buses in Asansol and Barrackpore. Later, police resorted to a lathi-charge to disperse agitators. On the other hand, protestors threw banana leaf on rail overhead wires to hinder train movement in several parts of the city.
Train movements were affected in Sealdah main line, Bongaon, Barasat, Madhyamgram, Kalyani, Howrah-Bandel line, Chandannagore, Rampurhat. Meanwhile, Kolkata Police arrested senior CPM leaders while they were putting up a road blockade in Moulali and Jadavpur. Senior leaders including Sujan Chakraborty was arrested and sent to Kolkata Police headquarters- Lalbazar.
This apart, metro and bus services remained normal across Kolkata. Bus drivers were seen wearing helmets while ferrying passengers. Central trade unions have called for a two-day nationwide strike to protest against the policies of Narendra Modi-led central government.
Traffic movement affected on National Highway 16 due to protest by Central Trade Unions in Bhubaneswar.
The two-day nationwide strike called by central trade unions to protest the Centre's alleged anti-worker policies disrupted rail and road traffic in Odisha on Tuesday.
Train services were hit as trade union activists staged rail roko on the first day of the 48-hour strike at many places including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, Balasore, Jaleswar, Bhadrak, Sambalpur, Berhampur and Paradip, police said.
Over a dozen trains were delayed due to blockade of railway tracks by strike supporters, leaving a large number of passengers stranded at many places, they said.
Shops, markets, business establishments, educational institutions and offices remained closed, while vehicular movement virtually came to a grinding halt across the state during the strike.
Roads wore a deserted look with vehicles, including government and private buses refraining from playing, while a large number of passengers were seen stranded in bus stands in many places.
In state capital Bhubaneswar, trade union activists staged picketing and and road blockade by burning tyres at several places and busy thoroughfares. They held a sit-in at Master Canteen Square.
In neighbouring Cuttack city, the activists picketed and blocked roads at various places, besides staging a rail roko at the railway station.
Commissioner of Police of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack, Satyajit Mohanty said adequate police personnel have been deployed to prevent any untoward incident during the strike.The strike is peaceful so far, he said.
In the port town of Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district, trade union activists staged a demonstration near five gates of Paradip Port and blocked the road leading to the IOCL refinery at Rangiagarh, police said.
Educational institutions including schools, colleges and universities remained shut in view of the strike. A notification in this regard was issued by the state government on Monday, an official said.
The impact of the strike was visible in many places including Balasore, Jaleswar, Rayagada, Sundargarh, Rourkela, Berhampur, Puri, Bhadrak, Sambalpur, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur and Kendrapara, sources said.
Different political parties including the ruling BJD and its trade union front Biju Sramika Samukhya (BSS) have extended support to the strike called by 10 central trade union organisations.
Trains were stopped, buses and auto-rickshaws kept off roads as the 48-hour general strike called by 10 central trade unions against "anti-labour policies" of the central government, hit normal life in the southern state Tuesday.Workers from various sectors have extended support to the two-day strike.
Trains were stopped in Thiruvananthapuram, Tripunithura, Shoranur railway stations.
Venad Express, which runs from the state capital to Shoranur Junction daily, was delayed by more than one hour as agitators squatted on tracks, blocking its route, and raised slogans. Other trains that were stopped here were Jan Shatabdi and Raptisagar Express.
All trade unions except the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh have supported the strike, which has come five days after a 'hartal' was observed by right-wing groups in protest against the entry of two young women into the Sabarimala temple in Kerala.
The Sabarimala pilgrims, tourists, social and religious functions have been exempted from the strike Tuesday.To ensure Sabarimala pilgrims were not affected by the strike, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation has been operating buses from various destinations to Pamba, the foothills of the Sabarimala temple. However, KSRTC buses were not plying on other routes.
Meanwhile, pilgrims at Nilackal said they have been waiting for hours to reach the hill shrine. Private-run buses are also keeping off roads.Shops at many places in the state capital were open and the popular 'Mittayi Theruvu' (sweet street) in Kozhikode was buzzing.
The union leaders had assured businesses they would not force closure of shops and target traders. The Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi has said it would open its commercial establishments.
Central Union workers are also protesting in the national capital, though there is no impact on normal life.
Workers in Hubli observing strike.
The two-day nationwide strike called by trade unions against the alleged repressive labour policies by the Narendra Modi government evoked mixed response in Karnataka on Tuesday.While buses of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) stayed off the roads in most parts of the state, causing inconvenience to the people travelling to distant places, private buses, auto, taxi and metro services were available as usual.
Mixed response to strike have been reported so far from Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad among others. In many districts, holiday was declared in schools and colleges, with examinations being postponed.
Very few Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) buses were seen plying on the roads. Officials said passengers were also few in number, as most of them were aware of strike and have opted for other modes of transport. Two BMTC buses were pelted with stones by miscreants near Malleswaram here, they said.
There were complaints about auto drivers charging exorbitant fares from passengers here, Hubballi among other places. Authorities said action would be initiated against such drivers.
Hotels, shops and establishments like malls and film theatres functioned as usual, with their unions extending a moral support to the strike. Bank services are likely to be disrupted.
The unions have decided to hold a protest march from Town Hall in the city to Freedom Park on Tuesday and, on Wednesday, from Town Hall to the Raj Bhavan.
Adequate security arrangement has been made to ensure that no untoward incident took place, police said.
Describing the strike as "illogical, irrational and politically-motivated" move called by "frustrated elements", the state Bharatiya Janata Party has called upon the people to reject it and carry on with their daily activities.