The Central Trade Unions of India have called a nation-wide day-long strike Bharat Bandh on November 26, 2020, to protest the government’s new farm and labour laws. The Union Representative has also informed that Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been affected the most so far due to the strike.
Bharat Bandh has been called by the joint platform of 10 central trade unions along with various independent associations and federations also taking part in the day-long strike. However, BJP aligned Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has not been participating in the strike.
According to the General Secretary of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), the strike has already begun and Kerala and Tamil Nadu are completely shut down. While the band in Kerala is near total, protests have been seen in Odisha and West Bengal, and in a few of the places in Kolkata, protestors have also clashed with the police.
Apart from protesting against the new farm and labour laws, the agitation is also against work-related issues as well as for raising their demands.
Bharat Bandh: Central Trade Unions on a day-long strike
• Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC)
• All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)
• Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS)
• Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU)
• All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC)
• Trade Union Co-ordination Centre (TUCC)
• Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA)
• All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU)
• Labour Progressive Federation (LPF)
• United Trade Union Congress (UTUC)
• AIKSCC- the united front of Farmer’s organization has also extended its complete support to the strike and has been mobilizing their members especially in rural areas to express solidarity with workers on strike.
• Domestic workers, scheme workers, construction workers, vendors, hawkers, beedi workers, agricultural workers, and self-employed in urban and rural areas have also decided to join the streets for ‘Chakka Jam’.
Bharat Bandh in pictures:
In West Bengal, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, CPI (M) and trade unions observe nationwide strike against new labour policies.
West Bengal: Members of Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation, CPI(M) and Congress block railway track in Jadavpur as trade unions observe nationwide strike against new labour policies introduced by the Centre pic.twitter.com/h37MVHSuYI
— ANI (@ANI) November 26, 2020
In Kerala, workers of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) formed a human chain in Kochi as part of the strike against the new labour and farm laws. Normal life has been hit as government offices are closed and banking services are affected. Auto rickshaws, taxis, and private buses are also off the road.
Kerala: Workers of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) form a human chain in Kochi as part of their nationwide strike today against Centre's new labour and farm laws. pic.twitter.com/g53db5Vmda
— ANI (@ANI) November 26, 2020
Bhubaneswar in Odisha see the members of All India Central Council of Trade Unions, Odisha Nirmana Shramik Federation, Diesel Pump workers unions hold a demonstration for a nation-wide strike against government passed laws.
Bhubaneswar: Members of Odisha Nirmana Sramik Federation, All India Central Council of Trade Unions & All Orissa Petrol & Diesel Pump Workers Union hold demonstration as trade unions have called for a nationwide strike against Centre's new labour laws pic.twitter.com/ufVwyQD4La
— ANI (@ANI) November 26, 2020
Farmers in Ambala headed to Delhi to stage a protest. Water cannon being used by security personnel to disperse the crowd.
Ambala: Farmers headed to Delhi to stage protest attempt to break through police barricades at Sadopur border, water cannons used by security personnel to disperse crowds.#Punjab pic.twitter.com/90lbcgKEDv
— ANI (@ANI) November 26, 2020
Farmers in Haryana gathered in large numbers to proceed to Delhi to protest against farm laws
Ambala: Farmers headed to Delhi to stage protest attempt to break through police barricades at Sadopur border, water cannons used by security personnel to disperse crowds.#Punjab pic.twitter.com/90lbcgKEDv
— ANI (@ANI) November 26, 2020
Heavy security deployed in Delhi and drones is being used for surveillance at the Delhi-Haryana border in view of the 'Delhi Chalo' call.
Delhi: Heavy security deployed & drones being used for surveillance at Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana border) in view of farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' call.
— ANI (@ANI) November 26, 2020
DCP says, “No farmer groups are moving in this direction. Same information was shared by my counterparts. We're checking vehicles.” pic.twitter.com/4PnIt072LA
Bharat Bandh: Services affected all over India
• Transport services have been hit partially in Bengal and Kerala. Reportedly, left-backed trade unions in Bengal have blocked the railway tracks in some areas while in Kerala there are only a few buses on roads, and markets are entirely closed.
• A similar situation of agitation has also been developing in Punjab, Odisha, Telangana, Haryana, and Goa and a good response is also being seen to the strike in Maharashtra.
• In Odisha as well, rallies have been taken out by the trade union members.
• However, there are no reports of banking services being affected.
• The steel plant in Vishakhapatnam has been affected due to the strike and the majority of workers in coal mines are also on strike.
• In many states, taxi drivers and autos are off the road. The defence employees and federation of railways have also decided to put a pause on the services to join the mobilization.
• The work at the port, copper plants, and dock areas have also been affected and industrial areas in Delhi have also been closed down.
• In Delhi, protesting trade union members have gathered at Jantar Mantar and it is being informed that around 25 crores of workers in India are part of Bharat bandh today.
Bharat Band: Some of the demands of Trade Unions
• The demand of the protesting joint platform includes the transfer of Rs. 7,500 per month to all the non-income taxpaying families as well as 10 kgs of free ration to every needy person every month.
• The expansion of MGNREGA has been demanded providing 200 days of work in a year in rural areas at increased wages. The demand also includes the extension of the employment guarantee to the urban areas.
• The unions have asked the central government to withdraw all ‘anti-worker labour codes and anti-farmer laws and to stop the corporatization of manufacturing run by the government and service entities such as ports, railways, ordinance factories, etc.
• The Union has also demanded the withdrawal of the circular which states the forced premature retirement of PSU employees and government.
• Other demands include ‘pension to all’, scrapping National Pension System, and restoring earlier pensions with an improvement in EPS-95.
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