Updated January 8th, 2020 at 13:44 IST
Bharat Bandh LIVE updates: Banking, transport may be hit due to trade unions' strike
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.
1: 44 IST, January 8th 2020
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."
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1: 44 IST, January 8th 2020
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.
#MazdoorKisanStrike demands Urgent measures for containing price-rise through universalisation of public distribution system and banning speculative trade in commodity market. pic.twitter.com/kHEkjslbLN
— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak)
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)
1: 44 IST, January 8th 2020
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.'
The Modi-Shah Govt’s anti people, anti labour policies have created catastrophic unemployment & are weakening our PSUs to justify their sale to Modi’s crony capitalist friends.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi)
Today, over 25 crore 🇮🇳workers have called for #BharatBandh2020 in protest.
I salute them.
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1: 44 IST, January 8th 2020
Protests underway on Mount Road in Chennai, as ten trade unions have called for Bharat Bandh on Wednesday.
#LIVE | Left leads Bharat Bandh protests in Chennai. Tune in to watch here - https://t.co/jghcajZuXf pic.twitter.com/MADI0MtyAp
— Republic (@republic)
Tamil Nadu: Protest underway on Mount road in Chennai. Ten trade unions have called for #BharatBandh today against 'anti-worker policies of Central Govt' pic.twitter.com/ifheq1x66Q
— ANI (@ANI)
Published January 8th, 2020 at 10:32 IST