Bharat bandh 2016 News

Public transport services were disrupted and banking and insurance operations deranged as more than a million employees across the country struck work against "anti-labour" policies, bringing life to a standstill in parts of some states like Kerala.

The all-India strike by central trade unions affecting trade, transport, key manufacturing facilities and banking services may cause an estimated loss of Rs 16,000-18,000 crore to the country's economy, an industry body said Friday.  

Normal life in various parts of the country was partly affected on Friday by the one-day nationwide strike by trade unions with banking, transport and coal mining being among the most impacted, while hundreds of workers were detained in Haryana, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

The nationwide strike of central trade unions on Friday showed little impact in the hill state of Uttarakhand as the state employees ignored the strike call.

The strike has not affected the working of IT services and biotech firms in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru and Hubblali.

Train and flight services were unaffected, vehicles plied on the streets but fewer people ventured out as the general strike called by the central trade unions on Friday evoked a mixed response in West Bengal.

It was business as usual for public transport in Mumbai despite one-day nationwide strike call given by central trade unions, while it evoked a mixed response in rural Maharashtra.

Normal life in Bihar was hit on Friday by the 24-hour nationwide strike major trade unions have called to protest the central government`s anti-labour and economic policies, officials said.

A 12-hour country-wide shutdown called by 10 central trade unions on Friday to protest against the NDA government`s "anti-labour" policies have crippled life in Tripura.

Over 18 lakh state government employees in Uttar Pradesh joined the nationwide strike by major trade unions protesting against the central government`s anti-labour and economic policies.

Normal life was largely not affected in Tamil Nadu owing to the nationwide strike by major trade unions protesting against the central government`s anti-labour and economic policies.

Banks and commercial establishments were closed across Himachal Pradesh on Friday after trade unions of central government employees joined the nationwide strike to protest the violation of labour laws and privatisation.

The 24-hour-long strike called by trade unions to oppose the NDA government`s "anti-labour" policies and demand better wages, turned out to be a total shut down in Kerala.

Trade union leaders claimed that the strike would be even bigger than the one last year on September 2 and expected the number of striking workers to swell to as much as 18 crore.

Essential services such as banking, public transport and telecom may be hit Friday as 10 central trade unions (CTUs) will go on one-day nationwide strike against government's "indifference" towards their demands and effecting "anti-worker" changes in labour laws.

Banking operations are likely to be hit Friday as employees of six public sector banks have decided to join the stir that has been called by central trade unions to protest against "anti-labour policies" of the government.  

As many as 10 central trade unions will go ahead with the general strike on Friday saying the government gave no heed to their 12-point charter of demands and is continuing with unilateral labour reforms.