New Delhi: As the two-day Bharat Bandh called by labour unions to protest against the Narendra Modi government policies began this morning, commuters were having a tough time finding buses, autorickshaws and taxis in several cities including Bangalore and Mumbai. Transport workers from PSUs, private and unorganised sector went on strike in several parts of the country today.
In Bangalore and the rest of Karnataka, normal life was affected as several state transport buses went off the roads. Several schools, colleges and banks were reported to be shut during the day. However, Metro service in Bengaluru functioned as usual. Some universities even deferred the examinations, according to PTI.
“The strike will be successful in the state...buses won’t be there as they will observe strike, we have given notice. Banks will also not be there. Almost all activities will not be there,” PTI quoted AITUC leader Anantha Subbarao as saying in Bengaluru.
#Karnataka: 48-hour nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions demanding minimum wages, social security schemes & against privatisation of public and government sector; Visuals from Hubli pic.twitter.com/Gr6so1MwTJ
— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019
In Mumbai, around 25 lakh passengers who travel by 3,000 Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) buses that ply on streets of Mumbai city and the metropolitan region every day were affected. Thousands of employees of the transport service went on an indefinite strike over demands of implementation of the merger of the BEST budget with the principal budget of the BMC, employee service residences, etc.
Mumbai: Bus services affected at the CSMT due to the indefinite strike by BEST(Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply&Transport) over demands of implementation of the merger of the BEST budget with principal budget of the BMC, employee service residences etc. pic.twitter.com/SXlTfiZDeB
— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019
BEST management, on the other hand, had declared the strike illegal and issued internal circulars warning staffers of strict action if they proceeded with it. An industrial court had also restrained the union workers from going on strike.
To cope up with the crisis, the state transport department ran 40 extra buses.
Left union leaders brought out procession marches and dharnas in different parts of the country to demand minimum wages, social security schemes and stalling privatisation of government enterprises.
In West Bengal’s Howrah, railway lines were also blocked by protesters.
West Bengal: Members of Central Trade Unions block railway line in Howrah demanding minimum wages and social security schemes among others. Central Trade Unions have called a 48-hour nationwide strike over several demands. pic.twitter.com/o4FvWpFWdK
— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019
“The strike is quite visible in Assam, Meghalaya, Karnataka, Manipur, Bihar, Rajasthan, Goa, Punjab, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Haryana -- particularly in the targeted industrial areas and different mines,” Amarjeet Kaur, General Secretary of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), told PTI. She also claimed that the transport department in Bhopal is closed completely and employees of Haryana Roadways are also participating in the strike.
The 10 central trade unions which have called for strike include INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC.