Banking services hit in several states of the country due to 'Bharat Bandh' called by trade unions on January 8. Sporadic violence reported in West Bengal where protesters vandalised a bus. Railway track was partially blocked in Amritsar.
Nearly 25 crore people are said to be taking part in this all-India strike to protest against the government's "anti-people" policies.
Ten central trade unions like INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, UTUC along with various sectoral independent federations and associations had adopted a declaration in September last to go on a nationwide strike on January 8, 2020.
Bharat Bandh UPDATES |
Barring banking services being hit, it was business as usual in Telangana despite the nationwide strike called by various trade unions protesting the Centre's 'anti-people' policies.
Most of the shops and business establishments were open while transport services remained unaffected.
The strike by as many as three lakh employees and workers passed off peacefully with the participation of members of various trade unions in the state, senior leader of Telangana CPI, Sudhakar said.
Representatives of various unions held dharna at Dharna Chowk near Indira Park. (PTI)
Bharat Bandh UPDATES |
TMC cadres, police indulged in arson in Malda during trade unions' strike and blamed the Left cadres, CPI(M) leader Mohammed Salim said, according to News18. He alleged that the violence was instigated by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Bharat Bandh UPDATES | Trade union strike: HMSI, Bajaj Auto, component makers affected
Production at Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India's (HMSI) Manesar plant in Haryana, Bajaj Auto's Chakan unit and factories of various auto component makers was hit on Wednesday by the day-long strike called by 10 major trade unions against the Centre's "anti-people" policies.
The strike, however, had no impact on production of auto majors Maruti Suzuki India, Hero MotoCorp, Honda Cars India, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors and Hyundai Motors India as their plants in various parts of the country functioned normally.
"Workers in all the three shifts at the Manesar plant are not working today in support of the trade union strike," HMSI Employee Union President Suresh Gaur said. (PTI)
Bharat Bandh UPDATES | No effect of strike in Mumbai, most of Maharashtra; transport normal
The nationwide strike seems to have failed to evoke much response in Maharashtra till Wednesday afternoon with transport and banking services remaining largely unaffected in many districts as well as in the country's financial capital.
No untoward incident was reported so far from any region of the state.
Suburban trains, which are called as the "lifeline of Mumbai" with a ridership of more than 75 lakh commuters per day, public buses, taxis andautorickshawsare running normally in the island city and suburbs. (PTI)
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Trade unions held protests in Shimla and other parts of Himachal Pradesh despite heavy snowfall and rain, News18 has reported. According to the news channel, in Shimla, trade unions led by CITU State President Vijendra Mehra held protest at Panchayat Bhawan. They raised slogans against the central government. CPM MLA Rakesh Singha and Mehra also addressed the gathering on the occasion.
Bharat Bandh UPDATE | National capital largely unaffected by nationwide trade union strike
The national capital largely remained unaffected by the nation-wide strike called by trade unions on Wednesday, though most industrial workers stayed away from work.
Metro and the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) services functioned normally despite the strike call.
Officials said no trains have been affected in the national capital, but some Delhi-bound trains fromOdishaand West Bengal could be affected.
Bharat Bandh UPDATE |
175 local trains cancelled due to blockades by bandh supporters in Kolkata
Train services were disrupted in the suburbs and neighbouring districts of Kolkata by supporters of a nationwide general strike called by 10 trade unions on Wednesday, Railway officials told news agency PTI.
At least 175 local trains were cancelled in the Sealdah and Howrah divisions of Eastern Railway (ER) owing to the blockades put up by supporters of the strike, its spokesman said.
In the Howrah-Kharagpur section of South Eastern Railway, there were blockades at some places for durations from 10 minutes to half an hour, but no train was cancelled, its spokesman Sanjoy Ghosh said.
Bharat Bandh UPDATE | 15 lakh power sector employees, engineers on strike: AIPEF
About 15 lakh power sector employees and engineers across the country went on strike on Wednesday in support of 'Bharat Bandh' call given by 10 central trade unions.
Power sector employees are protesting against the Centre's proposed amendments to the Electricity Act as well as other privatisation policies of the government, which they say are against the interest of the consumers and employees. (PTI)
Bharat Bandh UPDATE |
Protests have reportedly turned violent in West Bengal's Malda district. Police vehicles have been set on fire, CNN News18 is reporting.
Police has fires tear gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse protestors. NH 34 has been closed.
BREAKING | Protests turn violent in West Bengal's Malda (News18)
Normal life hit in Kerala
Normal life was affected in left-ruled Kerala, with the public transport services keeping off the roads and banking services hit as the 24-hour nation-wide trade union strike was total in the state on the day.
Roads across the state wore a deserted look as Kerala State Transport Corporation (KSRTC), private buses, auto- rickshaws and taxis stayed away but a few private vehicles were seen plying. (PTI)
Strike evokes little response in Uttarakhand
The countrywide strike by trade unions evoked little response in Uttarakhand even as their affiliates staged a dharna at the inter-state bus terminal in Dehradun. (PTI)
Bharat Bandh UPDATE |
We have nothing to do with the strike. Our members and everyone is at work as usual. Films and TV are 100% on smoothly without any hindrance: BN Tiwari, president of The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) to PTI.
Congress leader DK Shivakumar on 'Bharat Bandh':
Since Independence, PSUs are at the forefront of nation building, employing lakhs in sectors such as banking, manufacturing and petroleum. To weaken and sell them, when they are still highly profitable is grave injustice. I stand with the workers of our nation.
No effect of strike in Goa; banking operations normal
Normal life remained unaffected so far in Goa on the day of the nationwide strike.
Various labour unions held a public meeting under the banner of the 'Goa Convention of Workers' at the Azad Maidan in Panaji. (PTI)
Bharat Bandh UPDATE |
Protesters block a railway track in Punjab's Amritsar during 'Bharat Bandh' called by ten trade unions. (ANI)
Banks, financial institutions affected by strike in Tripura
The strike evoked a mixed response in BJP-ruled Tripura where banks and offices of financial institutions remained shut in
most places, even as train services and vehicles operated as usual.
Shops and markets remained open in most parts of the state and attendance in majority of government offices, including the civil secretariat, were near normal. (PTI)
Bharat Bandh UPDATE |
A clash erupted allegedly between workers of Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Students' Federation of India (SFI) in West Bengal's Burdwan during the 'Bharat Bandh' called by 10 trade Unions against 'anti-worker policies of Central Government'.
Little impact on normal life in Tamil Nadu, banking services partially hit
The countrywide strike called by labour unions pressing for various demands has not disrupted normal life in Tamil Nadu so far, although banking services have been partially hit.
Bus services and road transport were not affected, police said. (PTI)
Banking services hit in Telangana
Banking services across Telangana were severely hit by the nationwide strike called by various trade unions protesting the central government's 'anti-people' policies.
However, most of the shops and business establishments were open while transport services remained unaffected. (PTI)
Bharat Bandh UPDATE |
A protest march is underway in Delhi in support of 'Bharat Bandh' called by trade unions against 'anti-worker policies of Central government'.
Kishan Singh Rathore, general secretary of Rajasthan roadways workers' union (CITU) to PTI:
Of the total employees, there are nearly 3,000 employees affiliated with CITU in roadways who are participating in the Bharat bandh. The strike's impact is on buses' operations in Churu, Ganganagar, Sikar.
Mixed response in Rajasthan
The nationwide strike call given by 10 central trade unions evoked a mixed response in Rajasthan during morning hours.
Banking and roadways services were partially affected as members of trade unions joined the strike. (PTI)
Public sector banks, roadways join nationwide strike call
Several outfits of public sector banks, roadways, post office and farmers in Punjab and Haryana joined the one-day nationwide strike call given by 10 central trade unions to protest against the government's "anti-people" policies.
Employees of public sector banks joined the strike, impacting banking services in the region. (PTI)
Uttar Pradesh Mahila Congress on Twitter:
All is NOT well in Modi's New India:
Worst Unemployment in 45 years
Nominal GDP growth lowest since 1975
Students thrashed by Mobs
Cops shooting Citizens dead
PSUs being sold
Petrol @RS80
Onion @Rs200
Reclaim India.
Lukewarm response to trade unions' 'bandh' call in Lucknow
The nationwide strike called by trade unions evoked a lukewarm response in Lucknow as life was normal during morning hours.
Usual traffic was seen on the main thoroughfares of the state capital and shops and business establishments opened at their usual time. (PTI)
Bharat Bandh UPDATE |
All India Reserve Bank Employees Association (AIRBEA) and All India Reserve Bank Workers Federation (AIRBWF) and some insurance unions have also extended support to the strike. (PTI)
Bharat Bandh UPDATE |
Bank employees have extended support to the nationwide strike call given by 10 central trade unions, AIBEA general Secretary CH Venkatachalam told PTI. "We have been opposing government policies on bank merger, privatisation, fee hike and other wage-related issues," he said.
Bharat Bandh UPDATE |
Protesters have blocked the National Highway (NH2) in Durgapur and have also ransacked a state-run bus amid 'Bharat Bandh' call given by 10 trade unions against the Centre's "anti-people" policies, CNN News18 has reported. 'Bandh' supporters with faces covered were also seen ransacking a vehicle of Electric department in Durgapur, it said.
A protest march underway in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram in support of 'Bharat Bandh' called by trade unions against 'anti-worker policies of Central government'
(Image: ANI)
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Four crude bombs recovered by Police from railway track near Hridaypur station in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas. Earlier today, the protesters had blocked railway track in North 24 Parganas district. (ANI)
Maharashtra PWD Minister Ashok Chavan:
State Government supports today's 'Bharat Bandh' call of different trade unions. The government at the Centre is an anti-labour government, he said. (ANI)
Congress
leader Rahul Gandhi on Twitter: The Modi-Shah Government’s anti-people, anti-labourpolicies have created catastrophic unemployment and are weakening our PSUs to justify their sale to Modi’s crony capitalist friends. Today, over 25 crore workers have called for #BharatBandh2020 in protest. I salute them.Bharat Bandh UPDATE |
Road and rail blockades have been reported from several parts of West Bengal as trade union activists along with Left and Congress supporters picketed in support of the 24-hour general strike against the Centre's "anti-people" policies.
The strikers took out rallies in parts of the state and blocked roads and railway tracks in North 24 Parganas district. But police removed them to ensure movement of vehicles without hitch. (PTI)
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Protesters gathered at Mount Road in Chennai to participate in the nationwide strike called by 10 central trade unions against the Centre's "anti-people" policies. (ANI)
JEE Main to be held as per schedule, ICAR NET postponed
The National Testing Agency has confirmed that the JEE Main 2020 examinations will be conducted as per schedule on January 8, while the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB) has postponed the ICAR National Eligibility Test (NET).
Bharat Bandh UPDATE |
A large number of protesters gathered near a railway track in West Bengal's Howrah and blocked it. (ANI)
Ten central trade unions like INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, UTUC along with several sectoral independent federations and associations had adopted a declaration in September 2019 to go on a nationwide strike.
Banking, transport and other services across the country are likely to be hit as trade unions have called a nationwide strike today. Nearly 25 crore people are said to be taking part in this all-India strike to protest against the government's "anti-people" policies.
Good morning! Welcome to Moneycontrol’s LIVE coverage of the nationwide strike called by 10 central trade unions on January 8. Stay tuned for the key updates.
