Several trading organisations have denounced the Bharat bandh call and said they would keep their shops open during the hartal. Officials in the Kerala Trade and Industries Coordination Forum said that they would not participate in the in the strike. In West Bengal, another state where the Left has presence, the CITU has said it would put up resistance if the Mamata Banerjee government made attempts to foil the bandh.
Bharat Bandh: Who is part of national strike?
The strike has been called by a consortium of ten central trade unions and has received support from organisations like the AITUC, CITU, HMS, AIUTUC, TUCC, AICCTU, along with employees in the banking and insurance sector. Farm unions like All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) cand Bhumi Adhikar Andolan are also part of the strike.
National strike: What are trade unions demanding?
The central trade unions during the convention held in September 2018 had given the call for a nation-wide strike accusing the government of “arrogantly ignoring” the 12-point Charter of Demands on minimum wage, universal social security, workers’ status and including pay and facilities for the scheme workers, against privatisation of public and government sector including financial sectors.
Tapan Sen addresses protest meeting in Delhi on Day One of nationwide strike.
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In West Bengal, several protesters were arrested after sporadic incidents of vandalism were reported from parts of the state during the strike. Stones were pelted at a school bus in Champadali area of Barasat in North 24 Parganas district. A government bus was also ransacked by strike supporters at Champadali. Protestors also vandalised a bus at Jamuria in Paschim Bardhaman district, reported PTI.
CITU said around 20 crore workers from all sectors of the economy have participated in the strike across the country. The expanse and active participation of workers in the two-day strike which began Tuesday is a clear indication of the extent of their anger and resentment against the policies of the government, PTI reported the union as saying.
CPI(M) leader Biman Basu leads a public rally in Kolkata. (Photo: Twitter/@CPIM_WESTBENGAL)
General strike being observed in parts of Telangana against 'anti-labour' policies of the Modi government.
Bankura district in West Bengal shuts down in support of the strike against anti-people, anti-worker policies of the BJP-led NDA Govt.
(Photos: Twitter/@CPIM_WESTBENGAL)
Thousands of people marched as part of nationwide general strike in Haryana. (Source: Twitter/@cpimspeak)
The CPI(M) and the mass organisations staged demonstrations in a number of locations in Tamil Nadu in support of the two-day nationwide strike called by central trade unions. CPI(M) State Secretary K Balakrishnan led a road roko in Coimbatore.
Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac has called for urgent price-control measures through universalisation of public distribution system and banning speculative trade in the commodity market.
Major lifeline trains connecting the state’s northern districts to the capital such as the Venad Express, Janshatabdi Express, Malabar Express and Chennai Mail remained stranded at different stations and ran way beyond schedule.
The Divisional Railway Manager in Thiruvananthapuram announced that Venad Express will remain partially cancelled between Ernakulam and Shoranur. The Ernakulam-Kayamkulam Passenger train was fully cancelled on Tuesday.
Commuters found it difficult to commute from railway stations to their homes, as private, state transport buses, as well as autorickshaws and private cabs, remained off-roads. In Thiruvananthapuram, numerous patients and their families, who had booked appointments at the Medical College and the Regional Cancer Centre, had to stand for hours at the railway station before the police arranged alternate options.
Trains were stopped, buses and auto-rickshaws remained 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. Workers have also extended their support to the two-day strike. Trains were stopped in Thiruvananthapuram, Tripunithura, Shoranur railway stations.
Shops, markets, business establishments, educational institutions and offices remained closed while vehicular movement virtually came to a grinding halt across Odisha, according to PTI. Roads wore a deserted look with vehicles, including government and private buses refraining from plying, while a large number of passengers were seen stranded at many places.
According to PTI, stones were pelted at a school bus in Champadali area of Barasat in North 24 Parganas district. Also, senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty along with other supporters was detained by the police on Tuesday. Earlier, the state government had announced that its employees would be barred from availing casual leave or half day leave on Tuesday and Wednesday.
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, PTI reported. In many districts, holiday was declared in schools and colleges, with examinations were reportedly postponed.
Over 20 lakh workers and employees of various private, government and unorganised sectors are likely to participate in the 48-hour nationwide strike, PTI reported. Emergency service providers such as hospitals have been exempted from the strike. Railway employees are not directly participating in the strike.
Banking operations Tuesday have been affected in some parts of the country as a section of employees refrained from work in support of the two-day strike call given by 10 central trade unions. Many public sector banks have already informed their customers about likely impact on services if strike continues.
Private and KsRTc buses not operating across the state. In Trivandrum, trains were blocked for more than an hour by protesters causing severe inconvenience to commuters. At the TVM Central railway station, large groups of people proceeding towards the medical college and the regional cancer centre had no commuting options. Police are now arranging vehicles for them to travel.
Services of state transport buses heavily hit. With employee unions led by CITU and INTUC, the bus company has a major staff shortage. Only special services to Pamba for Sabarimala pilgrims are operating.
Police in Kolkata detained CPM workers protesting in support of 48-hour nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions. Their demands include minimum wages and social security schemes among others.
Several trains at the Thiruvananthapuram Central station were blocked by pro-strike protesters and are running several hours late. Venad Express, scheduled to start from TVM at 5, began at 6: 30. This is an important train used by commuters to Kochi. The Kozhikode-bound Janshatabdi Express is also running late by 1.5 hours. There are reports of other trains being blocked by protesters at stations.
Members of Central Trade Unions blocked railway line in Howrah demanding minimum wages and social security schemes among others. The 10 central trade unions who have called the strike have placed a charter of demands that include minimum wage, universal social security, workers' status and including pay and facilities for the scheme workers, against privatisation of public and government organisations.
The central trade unions and the Trinamool Congress appear to be headed for a showdown over the general strike call on January 8 and 9.
The West Bengal government has already announced that its employees would be barred from availing casual leave or half day leave on Tuesday and Wednesday when as many as 10 central trade unions have called a nationwide strike protesting against the "anti-people" policies of the Centre.
Huge police deployed at Dorina Crossing (Express Photo by Souradip Samanta)
Esplanade crossing at 8 am (Express Photo by Souradip Samanta)
Around 29,000 employees of the civic run transport service BEST are on an indefinite strike beginning Monday midnight for various demands despite an industrial court restraining them from taking the step.
Due to the strike, around 25 lakh passengers who travel by 3000 BEST buses that ply on streets of Mumbai city and the metropolitan region every day will be inconvenienced. Various unions of BEST workers are demanding the renewal of their salary agreements that got expired in 2016, rise in gratuity and bonus amounts
All educational institutions including schools, colleges and universities in Odisha will remain closed on Tuesday in view of the two-day nationwide
strike called by central trade unions.
"All schools in the state will remain closed on Tuesday due to the general strike called by central trade unions. The decision regarding the closure of schools on Wednesday will be taken tomorrow, said School and Mass Education Secretary PK Mohapatra. Meanwhile, the state's BJD government and its trade union front -- Biju Sramika Samukhya (BSS) -- have extended support to the two-day nation-wide strike called by CITU,
AITUC and other trade unions.
Additional buses, deployment of forces, insurance in cases of damage caused to vehicles — these are among the measures taken by the state government to ensure normalcy during the 48-hour nationwide strike called by Left-backed trade unions. Among the demands put forward by the unions are minimum wage, universal social security, workers’ status and including pay and facilities for the scheme workers. READ MORE
The two-day strike by labour unions from Tuesday is likely to affect the services of BEST and other government offices such as banks, post offices and LIC, among others. On Tuesday, workers are expected to gather at Azad Maidan at around 10.30 am as part of the strike. “Around 25,000 workers are expected to gather at Azad Maidan. Then, some of the union leaders will address the gathering. Similar demonstrations will be held across the 36 districts in the state,” said Vishwas Utagi, convener of the Trade Union Joint Action Committee, an apex body of labour unions. READ MORE
All educational institutions including schools, colleges and universities in Odisha will remain closed tomorrow due to the strike. A notification to this effect was issued by the Higher Education department on Monday. "All schools in the state will remain closed on Tuesday due to the general strike called by central trade unions. The decision regarding the closure of schools on Wednesday will be taken tomorrow, " said School and Mass Education Secretary PK Mohapatra. (PTI)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday claimed that trade unions -called general strike would have no impact in the state. "I do not want to spend a single word on this. In WestBengal, we have taken a stand of not supporting any bandh. Enough is enough. In the last 34 years, they (Left Front) have destroyed the state by calling bandh. There will be no bandh," Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat. As many as 10 central trade unions have called a 48-hour nationwide strike beginning Tuesday protesting against the "anti-people" policies of the Centre. (PTI)
Normal life is likely to be affected several parts of Karnataka on Tuesday following the two-day nation-wide general strike called by
central trade unions against the alleged 'repressive' policies for workers by the Narendra Modi government, reported PTI.
Office goers may face problems as the state transport buses are likely to stay off the roads.
However, the metro service in Bengaluru, as also auto and taxi service, are likely to function as usual.
Petrol pumps in Kerala are experiencing huge rush ahead of the two-day Bharat Bandh beginning on Tuesday.
In West Bengal, CITU on Sunday said it would put up resistance if the state government makes attempts to foil its proposed bandh. CITU state president Subhas Mukherjee on Sunday said that their workers will be on the streets to resist any attempt by the TMC government to foil the shutdown.
Several trading organisations have denounced the call expressing that they will keep their shops open during the hartal. The effect which is likely to be most visible in the state of Kerala which is Left dominated, however, officials in the Kerala Trade and Industries Coordination Forum said that they will not participate in the in the strike.
Welcome to our live blog. A two-day-long nationwide strike has been called by central trade unions from Tuesday against the alleged repressive policies of the Narendra Modi-led union government. Farmer unions All India Kisan Sabha and Bhumi Adhikar Andolan will also participate in the strike. The strike has been called by a consortium of ten central trade unions and has received support from organisations like the AITUC, CITU, HMS, AIUTUC, TUCC, AICCTU, along with employees in the banking and insurance sector.