Bharat Bandh: Violence in West Bengal, Strike Near Total in Kerala
The unions said nearly 25 crore people will take part in the nationwide strike.
Protesters torched vehicles and ransacked government buses, including a police van in West Bengal as they tried to enforce the day-long bandh called by central trade unions on Wednesday, 8 January.
Meanwhile, the strike was near total in Left-ruled Kerala, with vehicles, including state-owned KSRTC and private buses keeping off the roads.
The Chennai Police, meanwhile, detained protesters who were a part of the Bharat Bandh on Mount Road.
- The unions have said nearly 25 crore people have taken part in the strike to protest against labour reforms, FDI, disinvestment and privatisation policies
- The government has asked PSUs to dissuade their employees from participating in the ‘Bharat Bandh’ and advised them to prepare a contingency plan
- Several farmers and agricultural workers’ unions are also expected to extend support to the strike and observe Gramin Bharat Bandh
- About 60 organisations of students and elected office bearers of some universities have also decided to join the strike
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Banking, Transport Services Likely to Be Affected
Several banks have already informed stock exchanges about the Wednesday strike and its impact on banking services.
Various bank employee associations, including AIBEA, All India Bank Officers' Association (AIBOA), BEFI, INBEF, INBOC and Bank Karmachari Sena Mahasangh (BKSM), have expressed their willingness to participate in the strike, according to PTI.
Banking services like deposit and withdrawal, cheque clearing and instrument issuance are expected to be impacted due to the strike.
Bharat Bandh: Protesters Block Railway Tracks in West Bengal
Protesters blocked railway tracks in West Bengal's Howrah and Kanchrapara as part of the ‘Bharat Bandh’ on Wednesday.
A Left Front procession led by CPI (M) leader Sujan Chakraborty blocked railway tracks at Jadavpur station.
'Modi-Shah Govt's Policies Have Created Catastrophic Unemployment': Rahul Gandhi
Protest Underway in Chennai's Mount Road
A protest is underway in Chennai’s Mount road as a part of the Bharat Bandh against 'anti-worker policies of Central government.'
Maharashtra Govt Supports Bharat Bandh: Ashok Chavan
Maharashtra Public Works Department Minister and Congress leader Ashok Chavan said that the state government supported the Bharat Bandh called by trade unions.
Protest March Underway in Thiruvananthapuram
A protest march underway in Thiruvananthapuram in connection with the Bharat Bandh.
Chennai Police Detains Protesters
Chennai Police detained protesters on Mount Road as part of the Bharat Bandh.
Tamil Nadu chief secretary has warned that if the government employees don't work, then their day’s pay will be cut.
Bharat Bandh: 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 on Wednesday.
However, 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 was underway with the participation of members of various trade unions in the state, senior leader of Telangana CPI, Sudhakar said.
Operations in all public sector banks except SBI were affected.
"All public sector banks employees are participating in the strike. There are no counter operations such as cash deposits or withdrawals at banks. Even though officers are participating in the strike, they extended cooperation," All India Bank Employees Association National Secretary B S Rambabu told PTI.
A senior official of SBI said there was no impact of strike on the bank's operations as its officers and award staff associations decided to stay away from Bharat Bandh.
Sporadic Incidents Violence Across Bengal as Strikers Try to Enforce Bandh
Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from various parts of West Bengal on Wednesday as trade union activists backed by Left and Congress members tried to enforce the 24-hour strike against the Centre's "anti people" policies.
The strikers blocked rail and roads in several parts of the state affecting normal life.
They burnt tyres and blocked roads in various parts of the East Burdwan district, besides staging sit-in on railway tracks, affecting train services in the sector.
In East Midnapore district, stones were hurled at buses. When police tried to remove protesters, a scuffle ensued, following which several strikers were arrested, the police said.
The protesters tried to break past barricades in Kolkata's Jadavpur and Central Avenue areas, promoting police to use of force. Several strikers were held, they said.
Bharat Bandh: Mixed Response in Rajasthan
The nationwide strike call given by 10 central trade unions evoked a mixed response in Rajasthan during morning hours on Wednesday, 8 January.
Banking and roadways services were partially affected as members of trade unions joined the strike.
A demonstration was held in front of the LIC Building in Jaipur. Rajasthan roadways employees affiliated with CITU also participated in the 'Bharat bandh'.
"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," Kishan Singh Rathore, general secretary of Rajasthan roadways workers' union (CITU), claimed.
However in Jaipur, most of the markets opened as usual and there was not much impact on public transport services
Strike Near Total in Left-Ruled Kerala
The day-long strike called by central trade unions was near total in Left-ruled Kerala on Wednesday, with vehicles, including state-owned KSRTC and private buses keeping off the roads.
In the state capital, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) did not operate city and long distance services.
Very few private vehicles and autorickshaws were seen plying on roads. As Sabarimala pilgrims have been exempted from the strike, KSRTC buses are taking Ayyappa devotees to Pamba.
With trade unions of the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and opposition Congress-headed UDF participating in the strike, most of the staff did not turn up at the Secretariat.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other ministers also did not attend office.
The weekly state cabinet meeting scheduled for Wednesday had been held a day earlier.
Police have made arrangements to ensure that there are no untoward incidents and 160 police pickets have been set up at various junctions in the city.
Auto Component Makers in Manesar-Bawal Belt Hit by Strike
Production at Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India's (HMSI) Manesar plant in Haryana and factories of various auto component manufacturers in Manesar-Bawal industrial belt were hit, on Wednesday, by the day-long strike, PTI reported.
The strike, however, had no impact on production of auto majors Maruti Suzuki India, Hero MotoCorp and Honda Cars India at their plants in various parts of the country.
175 Local Trains Cancelled Due to Blockades by Bandh Supporters
Train services were disrupted in the suburbs and neighbouring districts of Kolkata by supporters of the nationwide general strike on Wednesday, PTI reported Railway officials as saying.
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.
Violence, Arson Across Bengal as Strikers Try to Enforce Bandh
Incidents of violence and arson were reported from various parts of West Bengal with buses, a police vehicle and government properties being vandalised by strikers who tried to enforce the 24-hour bandh on Wednesday, PTI reported.
Protesters blocked a major road in Sujapur area of Malda district, set tyres on fire, ransacked government buses and torched several vehicles, including a police van.
When police tried to control the situation, they hurled stones and crude bombs.
The police then baton-charged, lobbed tear-gas shells and fired rubber bullets at the mob, officials said.
'Mamata Instigated Violence During Trade Unions' Strike': CPI(M)
CPI(M) politburo member Mohammed Salim on Wednesday alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee instigated TMC cadres and police personnel to indulge in violence in the state during the one-day strike, according to PTI.
Salim also denied claims that Left cadres and Congress workers were involved in arson in Malda district.
"None of the protesters or strike supporters were involved in violence. It is Mamata Banerjee who instigated violence. The TMC cadres and police personnel in order to please the chief minister, indulged in arson. Despite threats, the strike has been successful in Bengal," Salim said.
Over 800 Workers, Including 2 MPs Arrested in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore
Two MPs of Left parties were among 800 workers of eight trade unions who were arrested on Wednesday while attempting to stage a demonstration as part of the nationwide strike in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore, PTI reported.
The demonstration was led by CPI Lok Sabha MP K Subbaryan, who is also Tamil Nadu AITUC president and CPI(M) MP PR Natarajan.
As the workers attempted to stage demonstration near the district collectorate, police arrested them, PTI reported.
Similar protests were held at Valparai, Pollachi and Mettupalayam in the district and Tirupur, police said.
Houseboat of Nobel Laureate Blocked by Protesters in Kerala
A houseboat carrying Nobel laureate Michael Levitt in the backwaters of Alappuzha in Kerala was blocked for some time by trade union activists who are on a nationwide strike on Wednesday, PTI reported.
Police said Levitt, who received the 2013 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, was in Alappuzha with his wife and was stopped by the protesters near Kainakary.
Reacting to the incident, State Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said, "We will take strong action against those anti-social elements who blocked the boat.
Nationwide Strike Call Evokes Partial Response in Punjab, Haryana
A day-long nationwide strike call by the central trade unions against the government's anti-people policies, on Wednesday evoked partial response in Punjab and Haryana, PTI reported.
With the state roadways employees joining the nationwide strike, buses remained off road at several places including Amritsar, Nawanshahr, Ludhiana, Roopnagar and Kapurthala in Punjab, causing inconvenience to passengers.
Though a faction of Haryana Roadways had announced to join the strike, public transport services were not affected much, barring a few places including Sirsa and Hisar.