BHUBANESWAR: THE nationwide strike called by Central trade unions evoked mixed response in the State on Thursday.In Bhubaneswar, trade unions took out protest rallies in AG Square, Station Square, Rajmahal Square, Jaydev Vihar and other areas. The protestors staged a blockade on both sides of the flyover near Jaydev Vihar which affected the traffic movement on the National Highway for a few minutes.
The Odisha unit of the Congress party extended its support to the agitating trade unions. Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik said the party’s support is in the interest of labourers and farmers.
Members of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) members said that the strike was successful in Odisha. “We are protesting the Central government’s anti-labour, anti-farmers and anti-people policies. The call of the Central trade unions resulted in complete bandh in Odisha,” national secretary of AITUC, Rama Krushna Panda said.
Trade union federations demanded cash transfer of `7,500 per month for all non-income tax paying families and 10 kg free ration per person per month to all needy persons for six months. They also demanded expansion of MGNREGA to provide 200 days work a year in rural areas.
While all major establishments, petrol pumps and banks downed their shutters on Thursday, the strike had no impact on movement of buses, trains and auto-rickshaws in the Capital city. Twenty platoons of police force were deployed in the city to avoid any untoward incident.Ten Central trade unions had called the nationwide strike across the country.