The two-day-long Bharat Bandh called by the members of central trade unions demanding for minimum wages and social security schemes among others received a mixed reaction from the public.

While there have been reports of vandalism from some places, others have been rather peaceful.

Places affected

Bengal

1. Kolkata and other places in Bengal have been hard hit by the Bharat Bandh. 

2. Senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty and other protesters have been detained by police in Jadavpur area in Kolkata. Rail stations and tracks have been blocked. Raja Subodh Chandra Mallick Road was also blocked by protesters.

3. Members of Students’ Federation of India (SFI) stage an agitation at the gates of Presidency University in College Street, Kolkata.

4. Most of the school remained open in Kolkata. Picture of a bus driver donning a helmet fearing attacks surfaced on the Internet. 

5. In Darjeeling, 30 tea gardens have been closed.

6. In Siliguri, though protesters took out a huge rally, the trading hub in the city remained open. The public saw lesser vehicles on roads. 

7. Train services came to a halt in Madhyamgram, Hasnabad-Bongaon, Krishnagar, Duttapukur and Lakshmikantapur. 

Odisha

1. In Bhubaneswar, protests affected traffic movement on NH-16. 

2. Protesters also blocked several roads in the city.

Kerala

1. Protesters have taken out rallies in Kochi and Trivandrum. 

2. According to reports, Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is not operating buses in the state. Train services have also been disrupted. 

3. Protesters have also blocked the Ernakulam-Kannur intercity express at Parappanangadi station in Malappuram district.

Delhi

Raising voice against privatisation of public and government sector, All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) members held protest in Patparganj industrial area in New Delhi. 

Maharashtra

1. Western Railway is running additional services for local trains in the city. 

2. Mumbai University has also instructed colleges to allow students to sit for examinations even if they are coming late due to the strike. 

Karnataka

1. In Bengaluru, malls and movie theatres kept their doors open.

2. Shops were seen open and buses were also plying in the city. However, as a precautionary measure, the district administration declared a holiday for schools and colleges. 

3. Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru saw a massive crowd on Tuesday morning as people reached before their scheduled flight time fearing the strike.

Other cities

General secretary of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) told PTI, “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.” 

Services affected 

  • Bus
     
  • Train
     
  • Banks 
     
  • Schools
     
  • Colleges