The nationwide strike announced by trade unions against the BJP-led central government's "anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti-national pro-corporate policies" has disrupted normal life in various states with transport and banking among services affected.
The general strike has been called by a joint forum of ten central trade unions including INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC. The forum claimed that around 30 crore workers have been mobilised accross the nation for the strike.
The protesters have demanded the scrapping of four labour codes, claiming that it weakened workers' rights, reduce job security and make it easier for employers to hire and disengage staff.
They are demanding the restoration of MGNREGA and the scrapping of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025. The unions have also called for the withdrawal of the Draft Seed Bill and Electricity Amendment Bill, and the ''Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act'.'
All India Trade Union Congress General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur said she has received reports of the agitation from states, including Assam, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Kerala, Odisha and Bihar, reported PTI.
She added that processions have started in industrial areas of New Delhi and that traffic on the roads is relatively light.
Kaur said banking, insurance, postal, transport, health, coal and non-coal mines, gas pipeline and electricity sectors will be affected by the strike.
Protesters block roads, transport services hit in Odisha
The nationwide strike disrupted normal life in Odisha with transport services being hit in places like Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Rourkela.
In the capital city, the protestors staged a blockade near Station Square, leaving passengers stranded in the railway station. Ama Bus and auto-rickshaw services were hit due to the strike. Major commercial establishments too remained closed in the state capital.
Demonstrations were also held on National Highway-16 at Jaydev Vihar, causing a traffic snarl.
Banking, insurance, coal sectors affected in Jharkhand
Members of various trade unions in Jharkhand are staging demonstrations at the gates of various coal companies and PSUs, while the strike has hit banking, insurance and coal sectors in the state.
Left parties and the Congress have extended their support to the strike.
Normal life disrupted, transport services hit in Kerala
The strike disrupted normal fife in Kerala with travellers being the most affected as KSRTC and private buses remained off the roads.
Auto-rickshaw unions also announced that they would not operate during the strike.
"I have been waiting for a KSRTC bus since 6 am to return home to Kanjiramattom after my night duty. But no buses are operational. I will wait for a few more hours before going to the railway station to catch a local train to reach my destination," a passenger was quoted as saying by PTI.
The disruption of transport services is also expected to affect attendance in government offices, even as the state government issued an order stating that unauthorised absence of an officer on account of the strike shall be treated as "dies-non."
Mixed response in Goa
Nationalised banks and offices of many insurance companies remained shut in Goa. Some industrial units in the state were also affected.
"Labour unions shut down the work in different industrial estates as a mark of solidarity to the strike call," said AITUC Secretary Suhas Naik.
Naik said there was no impact on essential services.
"The public transport system worked without any problem," he said.
Meanwhile, members of labour unions held a protest march in the capital city of Panaji.
No major response from West Bengal
The nationwide strike failed to evoke any response in West Bengal as vehicles plied normally, and state government and private offices recorded usual turnout, reported PTI.
CPI(M)'s student wing SFI staged demonstrations in front of the gates of Jadavpur and Presidency universities to support the bandh call amid heavy deployment of police forces to prevent any untoward incident.
With Thursday being the first day for the state board's class 12 examinations, police and transporters ensured that the number of buses on different routes was high for candidates to reach their examination centres.
All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) general secretary Amarjeet Kaur said that no less than 30 crore workers will participate in the bandh.
(With inputs from ENS, PTI)