The Bharat Bandh on Wednesday is set to become one of the largest collective strikes in India, as over 25 crore workers from vital sectors such as banking, insurance, postal services, coal mining, and public transport unite against what they call the “anti-worker, anti-farmer, anti-national” policies of the central government.
This Bharat Bandh has been organized by a joint forum of 10 central trade unions, including the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) and Hind Mazdoor Sabha, with strong backing from rural worker groups and Samyukta Kisan Morcha.
Why Bharat Bandh Is Being Observed
At the core of this Bharat Bandh lies a list of 17 demands submitted to Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya last year. The unions allege that the government has deliberately ignored these demands and has not held the mandatory annual labour conference for the past ten years.
A joint forum statement accused the government of transforming India from a welfare state to a pro-corporate regime, where foreign and domestic corporates are allegedly prioritized over workers’ rights. The Bharat Bandh is being described as a mass protest against this systemic neglect.
Impact of Bharat Bandh on Public Services
This Bharat Bandh is expected to disrupt key public services nationwide:
- Banking services across public and private sectors will remain largely non-operational.
- Postal services are expected to witness major slowdowns or shutdowns.
- Coal mining operations will be stalled, affecting energy production.
- Public transport in several states, especially state-run buses and metro operations, will be heavily impacted.
- Factories and industrial units may face partial or complete shutdowns due to worker absenteeism.
Workers Oppose Labour Codes in Bharat Bandh
A major cause behind this Bharat Bandh is the implementation of four new labour codes. According to trade unions, these laws are designed to:
- Increase daily working hours beyond acceptable limits
- Limit or dissolve trade union powers and activities
- Remove employers’ accountability under current labour laws
- Restrict collective bargaining and the right to strike
Union leaders believe these changes will dismantle decades of labour rights protection and push both formal and informal workers into exploitative systems.
Farmers, Rural Workers Join Bharat Bandh
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha and allied agricultural workers’ unions have thrown their full support behind the Bharat Bandh. They are organizing parallel protests in rural India, increasing the reach and magnitude of the movement.
According to Amarjeet Kaur of AITUC, “Months of preparation have gone into this. From cities to villages, workers and farmers are ready to show the government that they won’t remain silent anymore.”
History of Previous Bharat Bandh Strikes
This isn’t the first time that the unions have called for a Bharat Bandh. Similar national strikes took place:
- November 26, 2020
- March 28–29, 2022
- February 16, 2024
Each of these events highlighted growing dissatisfaction among India’s labour force. However, today’s Bharat Bandh, with 25 crore workers, is poised to break all records. With 25 crore workers, farmers, and labourers mobilized across sectors and states, the Bharat Bandh signals a powerful resistance to perceived injustice. Whether or not the government yields to the demands, this strike marks a historic moment in India’s labour movement.
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