On the first day of the two-day Bharat Bandh received a lukewarm response with most of the impact of the strike remaining limited to parts of a few states. Here are the top developments.
A joint forum of trade unions across India has called for a two-day Bharat Bandh, starting at 6 am on Monday. The Bandh has been called to protest against the Centre’s policies in various sectors. While rail and road transport services were hit in some parts of the country, the overall response to the call for bandh was lukewarm.’
As we step into the second day of the Bharat Bandh, here are the top developments:
- The Bharat Bandh was called by a joint platform of central trade unions against the Union government’s policies, mainly privatisation and inflation.
- Among the demands put forth by the forum are the withdrawal of labour codes stopping privatization of public sector units the introduction of social welfare schemes for labourers in the unorganised sectors financial aid to workers’ families reduction of taxes on petrol and diesel strong measures to curb inflation equal pay for similar jobs done by contract labourers implementation of the old pension scheme.
- The nationwide strike has been supported by the All India Bank Employees’ Association to protest against the government’s plan to privatise public sector banks, and the Banking Laws Amendment Bill, 2021.
- Sectors such as coal, steel, oil, telecom, postal, income tax, copper, and insurance are taking part in the nationwide strike.
- The effect of the Bandh was mostly seen in parts of states like West Bengal, Kerala, Odisha, Bihar, and Andhra Pradesh.
- The Kerala High Court slammed the state government and asked it to issue an order, restricting its employees from participating in the two-day nationwide strike. The court observed that it was illegal for state government employees to participate in the strike.
- The West Bengal government forbade its employees from participating in the strike and said a show-cause notice would be issued in case any employee fails to show up for work.
- The Maharashtra government on Sunday imposed the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA) on employees of the three state-run power companies to prevent them from participating in the two-day nationwide strike called by various trade unions from March 28. The act prohibits them from participating in strikes. The government’s action came amid fears of power supply getting interrupted.
- Public transport on Monday was hit in states like West Bengal, Odisha and Tamil Nadu, with a majority of buses and cabs remaining off the roads.
- Activists of Left Front-backed trade unions in Bhubaneswar blocked railway tracks in support of the Bharat Bandh.
Courtesy: India Today
