Banking operations paralysed in MP

Bhopal, Dec 14 (UNI) Banking and insurance services today came to a standstill in Madhya Pradesh today with about 15,000 employees joining the nationwide strike to protest the privatisation and outsourcing of work.

Insurance and other central government employees also joined in the one-day strike called by the Leftist trade unions against the ''anti-labour'' approach of the UPA government.

An employee was injured in a clash between supporters and opponents of the strike at 506 Army Base Workshop in Jabalpur district.

Bank transaction worth around Rs 70,000 crore was affected in 3,000 bank branches in the state, MP Bank Employees Association spokesman Gunasekharan said.

The state CITU unit claimed the strike was cent per cent successful. A rally of was taken out by the CITU's Bhopal unit in the state capital in which CITU state president Pramod Pradhan and general secretary Badal Saroj also participated.

After the rally, the leaders addressed a public meeting and said the strike was a warning to the Centre and the state governments to change their anti-labour and capitalist policies.

A UNI report from Indore said the strike affected normal life.

Employees staged demonstrations and shouted slogans in front of the State Bank of Indore headquarters.

Airport employees also took part in the strike. However, Devi Ahilyabai Airport director R K Singh said flights were not affected.

A UNI report from Jabalpur said about 80 per cent of employees from central defence establishments, banks and other central organisations also supported the strike.

UNI TEAM-PS PB KN1839