On February 16, Gramin Bharat Bandh (Rural Strike)and industrial/sectoral strike called by joint platform of Central Trade Unions and Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) were held enthusiastically across the country. Farmers and workers, rejecting Modi regime’s anti-people policies embarked on protests, marches and picketing actions.
In a statement issued by AICCTU, the union congratulated and extended its revolutionary greetings to the working masses for asserting their power of struggle. The working class of the country not only highlighted the burning issues but also resolved to defeat the Modi regime in the forthcoming elections. The country witnessed big mobilisations including strikes in various sectors and industrial areas on on this day.
The Rural Bandh was enforced in all states while it was more effective in Punjab, Haryana, Western UP and parts of Rajasthan.
The Coal Sector, Road Transport, NMDC, BHEL and several major industrial areas/zones went on strike. The state government employees in many states were in action. Employees of Banks and insurance sector, in electricity, telecom, steel, copper and oil sector organised protests at work places and participated in joint processions and meetings. The jute, cotton plantation workers demonstrated with their demands. The Railway unions organised demonstrations outside Railway stations in several areas and defense employees mobilised at factory gates. Students and teachers extended support and were part of mobilisation in several states. The taxi and auto drivers in many states took to the streets for demonstrations in support of the action. The hawkers/vendors unions, construction and beedi workers, home based workers and domestic workers were part of processions and road roko at many a places. The scheme workers- Anganwadi, ASHA, Mid-day meal and those in other various schemes were in major mobilisations, after strike in several states.
A mass civil disobedience was organised in West Bengal on 13th February itself due to board examinations commencing on 16th February in the state. It was a successful action throughout the state with one Comrade Anarul Islam loosing life in brutal lathicharge on protesters in Domkal, Murshidabad. The protests were organised by some unions on 16th also.
In Assam the programme was conducted on 15 February considering the examinations on 16 February. The state witnessed sectoral strike by scheme workers, construction workers, venders and hawkers among others and the employees of BSNL & Oil Sector as well as the workers of almost all private industries and chakka jam throughout the state. There was mobilisation in all districts in rural and town areas and was rural bandh as well.
In Delhi the joint actions for closure of industries were organised in all industrial clusters, a demonstration at Labour Commissioner office and another at Jantar Mantar were organised.
The Central trade unions and farmers organisations have resolved to continue and intensify the agitations in coming days. They also condemned the brutal repression unleashed by Modi regime and Haryana government against protesting farmers at Punjab-Haryana border. The protesting farmers, who are demanding the government to fulfil it’s promises of legal guarantee of MSP made during the 2021 farmers movement. In the violence against farmers, till now more than 100 farmers have been injured, including three who lost their vision due to the use of pellet gun. The unions noted that the repression and violence have become defining characteristics of the ruling party having lost confidence of people as well as realizing that they have lost the ground as because they know that they failed to deliver results in every promise they made to various sections of Indian masses. The toiling masses will thwart the diversionary and divisive designs of BJP-RSS and guarantee the ouster of disastrous Modi Gov in the coming Lok Sabha elections.
In Odisha the rural bandh was successful. All India Kisan Mahasabha, AICCTU, and AIARLA participated in in Puri, Rayagada, Kendrapara, Bhadark, Koraput, Khurdha, Nygarh, Balangir, Sonepur and Sundargarh. Workers' from sanitation sector, transport workers, construction workers, domestic workers, contarct labourers engaged in railways, industrial workers in Khurda and other places participated and did picketing before government offices. A big rally was also held in front of Odisha Assembly
In Andhra Pradesh hundreds of workers from various unions and sectors participated in the huge rally in Vijayawada. Uday Kiran addressed the gathering on behalf of AICCTU.
Workers in Tenkasi in Tamil Nadu organised a Rasta Roko with AICCTU banner led by Comrades Shankar, President of AICCTU, Velmurugan, Sankarapandian, and Asaithambi, state secretary of CPIML. They addressed the gathering before being detained by the police.
The RCF Employees’ Union in Kapurthala railway workers in a big rally at Ambedkar Chowk.
In national capital Delhi workers held demonstrations at dozens of places. In the Wazirpur Industrial area they defied section 144 and marched through all factory blocks.
