Bharat Bandh: This is 'gundagardi', West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee condemns strike

Protesters on Wednesday hit the road across the country as trade unions have called a 24-hour 'Bharat Bandh' (nationwide strike) to protest against economic policies of the central government that are alienating the working class and demands for labour reforms.

Road and rail blockades were reported from several parts of the country.

Here are the Bharat Bandh live updates

15:00 IST Wednesday, 8 January 2020

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee: CPIM has no ideology. Planting bombs on railway tracks is 'gundagardi'. In the name of movement, commuters are being beaten up and stones are being pelted. This is 'dadagiri', not a movement. I condemn this.

Bandhs called by them(Left parties) earlier were rejected. They want to get cheap publicity by calling bandh and hurling bombs on buses. Instead of gaining this publicity, political death is better.

13:40 IST Wednesday, 8 January 2020

A clash erupted allegedly between Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Students' Federation of India (SFI) workers in Burdwan during the Bharat Bandh called by ten trade Unions against 'anti-worker policies of Central Government'

12:37 IST Wednesday, 8 January 2020

Punjab: Protesters block a railway track in Amritsar during #BharatBandh call by ten trade unions 

Punjab: Protesters block a railway track in Amritsar during #BharatBandh call by ten trade unions https://t.co/DhtkLCjiFC pic.twitter.com/lZfdAWygXd

— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2020

12:20 IST Wednesday, 8 January 2020

A protest march underway in Delhi. Ten trade unions have called for Bharat Bandh today against 'anti-worker policies of Central Govt'

A protest march underway in Delhi. Ten trade unions have called for #BharatBandh today against 'anti-worker policies of Central Govt' pic.twitter.com/9izGlmbAvp

— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2020

12:04 IST Wednesday, 8 January 2020

A bus vandalised in Cooch Behar during the Bharat Bandh called by ten trade Unions against 'anti-worker policies of Central Govt'

#WATCH West Bengal: A bus vandalised in Cooch Behar during the Bharat Bandh called by ten trade Unions against 'anti-worker policies of Central Govt' pic.twitter.com/Cc3ksWndL2

— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2020

11:45 IST Wednesday, 8 January 2020

Kerala: A protest march underway in Thiruvananthapuram. Ten trade unions have called for #BharatBandh today against 'anti-worker policies of Central Govt'

Kerala: A protest march underway in Thiruvananthapuram. Ten trade unions have called for #BharatBandh today against 'anti-worker policies of Central Govt' pic.twitter.com/Mviv6LqE9q

— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2020

11:40 IST Wednesday, 8 January 2020

Maharashtra PWD Minister Ashok Chavan: State Government supports today's #BharatBandh call of different trade unions, Govt at the Centre is an anti-labour Govt

Maharashtra PWD Minister Ashok Chavan: State Government supports today's #BharatBandh call of different trade unions, Govt at the Centre is an anti-labour Govt pic.twitter.com/0PO1fJHHfv

— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2020

08:50 IST Wednesday, 8 January 2020

Tamil Nadu: Protest underway on Mount road in Chennai. Ten trade unions have called for #BharatBandh today against 'anti-worker policies of Central Govt'

Tamil Nadu: Protest underway on Mount road in Chennai. Ten trade unions have called for #BharatBandh today against 'anti-worker policies of Central Govt' pic.twitter.com/ifheq1x66Q

— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2020

08:30 IST Wednesday, 8 January 2020

West Bengal: Protesters also block railway track in Kanchrapara,North 24 Parganas. Ten trade unions have called for #BharatBandh today against 'anti-worker policies of Central Govt' 

West Bengal: Protesters also block railway track in Kanchrapara,North 24 Parganas. Ten trade unions have called for #BharatBandh today against 'anti-worker policies of Central Govt' https://t.co/NkSTHTirXv pic.twitter.com/bbTf9Xydhh

— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2020

A group of bandh supporters obstructed L/C gate no.24T at Shyamnagar affecting services on the Sealdah -Ranaghat section, while banana leaves were thrown at Akaipur Halt on the Ranaghat Bangaon section.

A bus was vandalized near Toorganj police station turn of Cooch Behar where the bandh supporters ran away after throwing stones which broke the glass in front of the bus.

Train services on the Sealdah (South) section were also affected as the supporters of the general strike threw banana leaves between Ghutiari Sharif and Champahati on the canning section, Lakshmikantapur- Mathurapur on the Lakshmikantapur -Baruipur section and between Magrahat - Hotor on the Diamond Harbour section.

Obstructions were made at Hridyapur on Barasat section and at Kanchrapara & Belghoria both at Ranaghat section. On the Howrah division, obstructions were made at Hind Motor on the mainline section. Train movement completely held up at Chengail and at Balasore.

The supporters put up a rail blockade at Belgharia station. Train movement on the Sealdah main line affected.

In Odisha, the movement of trains was affected in the East Coast Railway (ECoR) in the wake of the strike at Talcher, Bhubaneswar, Brahmapur, Bhadrak and Kendujhargarh. Several trains, given below, were detained en route at different Stations.

The strike was called by ten trade unions including INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, SEWA, UTUC, LPF, AICCTU, TUCC, and other sectoral independent federations.

Among the demands that the unions have raised are fixing a minimum wage, social security, uniform five-day week and demand a pay hike. A 12-point plan has been formulated relating to the common demands of the working class.