What is Bharat Bandh 2025?
Bharat Bandh (“India Shutdown”) is a one‑day general strike called by a coalition of ten central trade unions, backed by farmers and rural labor organizations, to protest the central government’s moves they deem anti-worker, anti-farmer, and pro-corporate hindustantimes.com+14moneycontrol.com+14bangla.indiatimes.com+14.
Unions argue the government has ignored a 17-point charter submitted last year, and has pushed through new labour codes, encouraged privatization of public sector enterprises, increased contractualization, rolled back the old pension scheme, and failed to guarantee a national minimum wage of ₹26,000 or adequate pensions moneycontrol.com.
Scale & Participation
- ~25 crore (250 million) workers across varied sectors—banking, transport, mining, postal, agriculture, and more—are reported to have taken part economictimes.indiatimes.com+1economictimes.indiatimes.com+1.
- Farmers and rural labor groups, including the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, also joined, amplifying the mobilization timesofindia.indiatimes.com+15hindustantimes.com+15indiatimes.com+15.
- Ten central trade unions involved include INTUC, CITU, AITUC, HMS, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, and UTUC timesofindia.indiatimes.com+10moneycontrol.com+10firstpost.com+10.
Sectors & Services Affected
🏦 Banking
In Gujarat alone, 20,000 bank employees from nationalized and select private banks joined the strike, disrupting over ₹15,000 crore in transactions across ~3,678 branches economictimes.indiatimes.com+4timesofindia.indiatimes.com+4economictimes.indiatimes.com+4.
🚆 Transport & Postal Services
Banking, postal, coal mining, public sector undertakings, and transportation were all significantly hit thewire.in+13moneycontrol.com+13economictimes.indiatimes.com+13.
While the Indian Railways didn’t formally strike, protesters blocked tracks in places like Diamond Harbour; security forces used lathicharge in Howrah and Odisha, and bus strikes were enforced by unions in areas like Coimbatore timesofindia.indiatimes.com+2firstpost.com+2economictimes.indiatimes.com+2.
🏭 Public Sector Units & Rural Areas
Workers at NMDC, steel plants, coal mines, insurance sectors, and state-run enterprises participated. Rural protests slowed agricultural operations and forced local shutdowns .
Regional Highlights
- Bengaluru: Major congestion near Freedom Park as thousands gathered; police issued advisories timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
- Gujarat: Banking services significantly impacted indiatimes.com+4moneycontrol.com+4timesofindia.indiatimes.com+4.
- West Bengal & Odisha: Lathi-charges in Howrah; highways blocked — e.g., near Bhubaneswar economictimes.indiatimes.com.
- Kerala: Mixed response from KSRTC; some unions claimed strike participation, while local government asked workers to continue; outcome remained fluid indianexpress.com+6organiser.org+6timesofindia.indiatimes.com+6.
Why Now? Unpacking the Momentum
- Labour Codes: Allegations that labour law reforms were passed without proper worker consultation and weakened collective rights peoplesdemocracy.in.
- Economic Policy: Unions say government measures prioritize corporate profits over job security and social justice.
- Farmer Alliance: Rising rural costs and joblessness prompted farmer unions to align with the workers timesofindia.indiatimes.comindiatimes.com.
- Old Pension Scheme: Removal of this and increased contractual hiring have amplified worker anxiety moneycontrol.com.
Impacts on Daily Life
- Traffic & Commuting: Traffic snarls in Bengaluru, road blockades across several states; essential travel disrupted firstpost.com+9hindustantimes.com+9economictimes.indiatimes.com+9.
- Banking: Widespread branch closures and service delays – especially in Gujarat .
- Transport Services: Bus cancellations, postal stoppages, train delays due to security checks and protester blockades .
- Public Sector & Rural Regions: Many government services slowed or shut; rural markets and farms also impacted timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
