Bharat Bandh: It’s anti-national, anti-economy, rue citizens

Updated: Wednesday, February 20, 2013, 10:59 [IST]

Bangalore, Feb 20: Life has come to a stand-still as nation-wide 48-hour-long Bharat Bandh begins across the country on Wednesday, Feb 20. Bharat Bandh has been called by 11 trade unions bodies.

However, citizens of the country are unhappy about the strike. Office-goers, college and school students are unhappy that a Bandh has been forcibly imposed on them.

"The Bharat Bandh is anti-national. How can trade unions bring the country to a halt? I am facing lot of inconveniences. I have to report to my office, but there is no public transport to ferry me to the office," lamented Pranav PT, an executive working in a Bangalore-based MNC.

Echoing similar sentiments, Rupa Nath, another office-goer from Kolkata said, "This strike is anti-people and anti-economy. Here I am facing lot of problems to reach my office. Government offices are open in Kolkata, but, hardly there are any buses or auto-rickshaw to take me to the office."

Opinions surrounding the nation-wide strike are varied. Few believe that wrong government policies are the reasons behind the Bandh called by trade unions.

Most of the Indian cities, including New Delhi, Kolkata and Bangalore have come to an abrupt halt, where daily life has been affected severely.

The Bandh has been called by 11 trade union bodies. Some of the trade unions, who are participating in the strike, are - Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) and many others. The Bandh has been called against privatisation, outsourcing, violation of labour laws, and price rise.

Earlier government appointed senior leaders of UPA AK Antony, Sharad Pawar and Mallikarjun Kharge to meet the trade union members. But, talks failed. "The government has nothing to offer. We are going ahead with the strike. We expect it to be hugely successful," said CITU president A K Padmanabhan, after talks failed.

OneIndia News