Trade Unions' 'Bharat Bandh' affects bus, train services, gets support from political parties

New Delhi [India], Jan 8 (ANI): Transportation including the bus and railway services were badly affected in various parts of West Bengal, Odisha and elsewhere on Wednesday following the 'Bharat Bandh' call given by the trade unions against the central government.
As many as 10 Central trade unions along with different federations are participating in the 'Bharat Bandh' being organised to protest against "anti-worker policies of BJP government".
Protesters blocked railway tracks in Howrah and Kanchrapara in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas on Wednesday. They raised anti-government slogans and criticised the Center for its policies. Commuters faced difficulties as bus services were also affected. CPI (M) protesters also stopped the operation of state transport buses.
In Siliguri, a North Bengal State Transport Corporation(NBSTC) bus driver was seen wearing a helmet in wake of protests during Bharat Bandh.
In Odisha, the public agitation started around 6 am at Talcher, Bhubaneswar, Brahmapur, Bhadrak and Kendujhargarh. Due to the protests, the following trains are detained en route at different stations --Bhadrak-Brahmapur passenger at Bhadrak, Kendujhargarh-Bhubaneswar passenger at Kendujhargarh, Bhubaneswar-Balangir InterCity at Bhubaneswar, Howrah-Yesvantpur Express at Brahmapur, Ichhapur-Cuttack MEMU at Brahmapur and Puri-Rourkela passenger at Bhubaneswar.
"The Central government is neglecting the labourers. Prices of petrol and diesel have increased. We want permanent jobs. We want to know when we will get permanent jobs?" said a protester in Bhubaneswar.
Protests were held in Delhi and in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala also. In Tamil Nadu, a protest was held on Mount road in Chennai.
RPF Inspector RR Kashyap informed that few protesters tried to stop trains at Rajendra Nagar Railway Station in Patna, however security personnel removed managed to stop them.
However, in Mumbai, locals didn't face problems in commuting and stated that trains services are normal in the city. "I did not face any problem. Trains are running on time," a local said. Similar was the situation in Hubli, Karnataka where bus and auto services are running as usual.
The Bharat Bandh call has received support from several political parties and leaders too.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hailed the trade unions 'Bharat Bandh' call and said that the "anti-people" and "anti-labour" policies of the centre have created 'catastrophic' unemployment.
"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. Today, over 25 crore workers have called for Bharat Bandh 2020 in protest. I salute them," Gandhi tweeted.
In its mouthpiece Saamana, Shiv Sena took extended its support to trade unions' 'Bharat Bandh' call and slammed the central government for its policies and decisions.
The ten central trade unions including CITU, INTUC, among others have given the call for strike with a 12-point charter of demand. Trade union Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) is not taking part in the strike.
Earlier on Tuesday, speaking to ANI Tapan Sen, general secretary of CITU had said, "All 10 central unions along with all national independent federations of central and state governments, bank, defence production and other service sectors have called a strike against anti-worker and anti-national policies of BJP government."
"Workers are going on strike with a 12-point charter of demands. We are demanding equal wage for equal work for contract workers who do the same work but receive less than half wage than regular workers," he added.
The bank strike is part of the Bharat Bandh call given by trade unions to protest against the labour reforms and economic policies of the Central government, according to reports.
The protestors' demand during the Bharat Bandh includes the Centre to drop the proposed labour reforms (ANI)