Bharat Bandh LIVE updates: Banking, transport may be hit due to trade unions' strike

Maharashtra state government, led by CM Uddhav Thackeray extended their support to the Bharat Bandh of January 28. Speaking about the same, Maharashtra PWD Minister Ashok Chavan said, "State Government supports today's Bharat Bandh call of different trade unions, Govt at the Centre is an anti-labor government."

Janata Dal's Sharad Yadav asserted that "Bharat Bhand" is the need of the hour against the 'unconstitutional' government.  He said, "Bharat Bandh 2020 is a need of the hour as the way the present Govt is busy in doing anti Constitutional, anti dalit, anti-backward, anti poor & anti-minorities & against anti common people activities resulting into GDP growth lowest at 5%, unemployment at its peak in 45 years."

Banking, transport and other services across the country are likely to be hit as trade unions have called a nationwide strike on Wednesday. Nearly 25 crore people are said to be taking part in this all-India strike to protest against the government's "anti-people" policies.

Ten central trade unions like INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, UTUC along with various sectoral independent federations and associations had adopted a declaration in September last to go on a nationwide strike on January 8, 2020.

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.

Banking services like deposit and withdrawal, cheque clearing and instrument issuance are expected to be impacted due to the strike. However, services at private sector banks are unlikely to be impacted. Other than banking, transport and other key services are also likely to be disrupted in many states due to this nationwide strike call.

In West Bengal, trade unions affiliated to Left and other parties called for a bandh against the economic policies of the BJP-led government at the Centre.  However, the state government said it will not support any bandh. "The Ministry of Labour has failed to assure on any of the demands of workers which called a meeting on January 2, 2020. The attitude of the government is that of contempt towards labour as we construe from its policies and actions," the 10 CTUs said in a joint statement.

"We expect the participation of not less than 25 crores of working people in the forthcoming National General Strike on January 8, 2020, to be followed by many more actions seeking reversal of the anti-worker, anti-people, anti-national policies of the Government," it said.

The central government, meanwhile, has asked public sector undertakings to dissuade their employees from participating in the 'Bharat Bandh' called on Wednesday and advised them to prepare a contingency plan to ensure smooth functioning of the enterprises.

Meanwhile, in Kerala, the trade unions exempted the state's tourism sector from Wednesday's general strike. Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) Society hailed as "exemplary" the decision by political parties and trade unions to exempt the state's tourism sector from Wednesdays general strike. "Any employee going on strike in any form, including protest, would face the consequences which, besides deduction of wages, may also include appropriate disciplinary action," said an office memorandum issued by the government. "Suitable contingency plan may also be worked out to carry out the various functions of the ministry/department," it added.

(with PTI inputs) 

Rahul Gandhi extended his support to the Bharat Band on January 8, calling PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah's government 'anti-people and anti-labour.'

Protests underway on Mount Road in Chennai, as ten trade unions have called for Bharat Bandh on Wednesday.