Video Editor: Vivek Gupta
Members of 10 central trade unions were on a one-day nationwide strike against government policies, a trade body representative said.
The demands include a minimum pension of Rs 6,000 for everyone, minimum support price (MSP) for farmers, and adequate supply of ration to people, she said, adding that the demands concern common man's issues besides worker-centric issues.
According to the unions, nearly 25 crore people took part in the strike to protest against labour reforms, FDI, disinvestment and privatisation policies.
West Bengal
The 24-hour nationwide strike by central trade unions in West Bengal on Wednesday was marked by incidents of violence and arson, and blocking of railway tracks and roads by protesters trying to enforce the shut down, officials said.
The protesters blocked a major road at Sujapur in Malda district, torched several vehicles including a police van, ransacked government buses and set fire to tyres. When police tried to control the situation, they hurled stones and crude bombs, officials claimed.
This led the police to baton-charge the mob, burst teargas shells and fire rubber bullets, they said.
Railway tracks and roads were blocked in various parts of the state affecting normal life.
Rajasthan
The nationwide strike call given by 10 central trade unions evoked a mixed response in Rajasthan during morning hours on Wednesday.
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.
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.
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.
In Thiruvananthapuram, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) did not operate city and long distance services.
Tamil Nadu
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.
Punjab
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.
The protests continued in other parts of the country.
Chennai Police, meanwhile, detained protesters who were a part of the Bharat Bandh on Mount Road.
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