Ten central trade unions affiliated with Left parties staged a nationwide ‘Bharat Bandh’ on Tuesday, protesting against the central government’s alleged “pro-corporate” economic and labour policies that they claim erode workers’ rights and undermine union power.
In West Bengal’s Jadavpur, protestors blocked railway tracks at the local station, while others marched through the streets, defying police presence. Despite the bandh, state-run and private buses continued operations, with drivers seen wearing helmets for safety.
“We support the cause, but we need to work. The helmet is just a precaution,” said a bus driver near Jadavpur 8B stand.
The bandh impacted public transport, banking, insurance, coal mining, postal services, and industrial production in several parts of the country. Government offices and PSUs also saw disruptions.
Trade unions are demanding the scrapping of four labour codes enacted in 2020, calling them a threat to the democratic structure of the workforce. CITU General Secretary Tapan Kumar Sen warned the laws could “destroy the country’s trade union movement.”
The unions also criticised the government for:
- Not convening the Indian Labour Conference for the past decade
- Encouraging reforms that benefit corporates under the guise of ‘ease of doing business’
- Failing to address rising unemployment, inflation, wage cuts, and cuts to education and health spending
Joint Demands Include:
- Filling of sanctioned vacancies
- Job creation and urban employment schemes
- Expansion of MNREGA days and wages
- Rejection of the Employee-Led Insurance (ELI) scheme
Participating Trade Unions:
The bandh was backed by major workers’ bodies including INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, and UTUC.
Through the strike, the unions aim to send a strong message to the government to roll back anti-worker reforms and protect the rights of millions in India’s workforce.