Bharat Bandh today: Know which services to be affected
New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: Banking, insurance, postal, coal mining, highway, and construction services are likely to be disrupted Wednesday as over 25 crore workers affiliated with central and sectoral trade unions go on a nationwide strike. The protest targets the Union government’s new labour codes and privatisation policies, and calls for better wages and job security, according to union leaders.
The general strike is led by major central trade unions including CITU, INTUC, and AITUC. Their key demands include scrapping the four labour codes, halting privatisation of public sector undertakings (PSUs), ending contractualisation, and increasing the minimum monthly wage to Rs 26,000. They are also advocating for the reinstatement of the old pension scheme and the regularisation of contractual workers.
The unions have aligned with farmers’ organisations to press for a legally guaranteed Minimum Support Price (MSP) based on the Swaminathan Commission’s C2 + 50 per cent formula, along with complete loan waivers. Sectoral groups such as the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and NREGA Sangharsh Morcha have also extended support to the strike.
A forum of 10 central trade unions coordinating the Bharat Bandh alleged that their 17-point charter of demands, submitted to Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya last year, has been ignored. These include filling up sanctioned vacancies, creating employment opportunities, increasing MGNREGA workdays and wages, and enacting a similar urban employment guarantee act. However, the RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has distanced itself from the strike, terming it politically motivated.
Speaking to Orissa POST, several trade union leaders in Odisha expressed frustration over what they described as the government’s pro-corporate and anti-worker stance that undermines collective bargaining rights and economic justice.
All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC) state secretary Jayasen Meher said, “After coming to power, the BJP has been trying to take away the rights of the trade unions and the workers. This government has scrapped 29 out of 51 labour laws to favour capitalists. We want the government to withdraw the four labour codes.”
Mahendra Parida, state general secretary of All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), said, “10 central trade unions have united against the government to fulfil their 17-point charter of demands and oppose the labour codes. Besides, we also demand increase in minimum wage of labourers and ensure proper job security for workers. The government should also stop privatisation of national properties.”
State president and national vice president of Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), Ramachandra Khuntia, said, “Many labour union federations, including those in banking and farm sectors, will participate in this protest to pitch for withdrawal of four labour codes. The government is forcing us to hit the streets as it has been ignoring our demands for the last two years. We demand implementation of old pension scheme. We also demand regularisation of the services of contractual workers.”
Parilata Mohapatra, state secretary-cum-district coordinator of Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), said, “If the four labour codes are implemented, it will take a heavy toll on women workers. If a woman is working in an unorganised sector, she has no official identity. As per the labour codes, maternity leave is applicable only if more than 20 labourers are working in the organisation concerned. A casual worker will be deprived of maternity leave benefit and there should be wage parity as well.”
AITUC state general secretary Bijaya Kumar Jena said, “The four labour codes of the Union government will benefit the owners/capitalists and affect the labourers from various sectors. The government should immediately withdraw this law and fulfil all our demands.”
Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) state general secretary Pravat Tripathy said, “The government is trying to snatch away the rights of labourers through the four labour codes. To oppose this, the labourers have united for a nationwide protest. We demand the minimum monthly wage be fixed at Rs 26,000, as per the country’s price index. We believe that the Central government will withdraw the four labour codes after our protest.”
Trade Union Coordination Centre’s (TUCC) state president Jyoti Ranjan Mohapatra said, “This (strike) is also an attempt to protect the rights of common man. The Central government could have averted this nationwide agitation by holding discussions with us. However, it is yet to respond. Around 2 crore workers from Odisha will take part in this protest. We oppose the 12-hour-a-day work as per the new labour law. We demand the government to protect the rights of its citizens.”
Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) state president Janardan Pati said, “This is for the 23rd time that Indian labour force is going to participate in a nationwide strike. The BJP government continues to attack on the working class by eliminating 15 out of 44 labour laws. The rest they have categorised into labour code which will heavily impact the working class. The government is focused on privatisation which we condemn.”
CPI(M) state secretary Suresh Chandra Panigrahi said, “All sections of the society are opposing this labour law which will eventually have a negative impact on the economy. Instead of focusing on the betterment of the working class, the government is serving crony capitalists.”
Yudhisthir Mahapatra, state secretary of CPI (ML) Liberation, said, “We are supporting this strike because the new labour code is an attack on the common man. Jobs are being snatched away and national properties (PSEs) are being sold out to corporate houses. After BJP came to power, farmers are going through untold miseries while the working class is on the receiving end. We oppose this law and want this scrapped.”
Ashis Kanungo, state secretary of Communist Party of India (CPI), said, “This protest is in favour of the people and labourers. The new law will assure a clean chit for the companies which are firing workers for no reasons. The previous labour law was beneficial for the employees but the government now wants to snatch it away. Due to privatisation, the corporate houses are calling the shots. This needs to be stopped.”
Joint secretary of All India Insurance Employees’ Union, Jharsuguda, Ratnakar Pradhan said, “We vehemently oppose the Union government’s decision to allow 100 per cent FDI in insurance sector. We also oppose the amendment to the Labour Law and imposition of 18% GST on insurance premiums. All the financial institutions, shops and business establishments in Jharsuguda will remain shut Wednesday.”
However, in a statement issued on the eve of the strike, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), the largest trade union in the country, announced it would not participate in the agitation, alleging the action was politically inspired. Of the four labour codes, the BMS welcomed the Code on Wages, 2019, and the Code on Social Security, 2020, noting that the latter provided for the social security of platform and gig workers for the first time.
PNN & Agencies
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