Bharat Bandh: Here is state-wise report; buses stay off roads in Kerala

Normal life largely remained unaffected by the strike call (Bharat Bandh) given by a joint forum of central trade unions across the country on Thursday (February 12) to protest against the alleged "anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti-national pro-corporate policies of the central government". A mixed response was seen in several states.

Here is the state-wise impact of Bharat Bandh.

Tamil Nadu

Normalcy was affected in port operations in Tamil Nadu, and workers staged protests. Port operations in Thoothukudi and Chennai bore the brunt of the agitation.

The industrial hub of Sriperumbudur also witnessed significant activity as workers from several manufacturing units held gate meetings and demonstrations in solidarity with the strike.

While production in some major automobile and electronic facilities continued with reduced manpower, the movement of goods in the Sriperumbudur-Oragadam industrial belt faced delays due to the scarcity of transport vehicles.

Kerala

In Kerala, though the state government declared a dies non (a day when no legal business is carried on) for government employees, attendance at offices was expected to remain low as transport vehicles remained off the roads.

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Apart from government offices, shops and businesses were also likely to remain closed due to the nationwide 24-hour strike.

Travellers were among the worst affected, with KSRTC and private buses remaining off the roads.

Auto-rickshaw unions also announced that they would not operate during the strike.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor slammed the strike call and termed it “Kerala Bandh” and not “Bharat Bandh”. “It is a lamentable irony that today’s "Bharat Bandh" is, in reality, merely another "Kerala Bandh." While the rest of India has evolved beyond such coercive disruptions, Kerala remains uniquely held hostage by this organized tyranny of the minority over the unorganized majority,” he wrote on X.

“My stand has been consistent since I entered politics: I support the right to protest, but not the right to obstruct. No Indian has the constitutional right to impede the free movement of another,” he added.

Karnataka

In Karnataka, the strike had no impact on normal life. State-run and private buses, auto-rickshaws, cabs were plying on the roads as usual. Schools, colleges, shops and other business establishments are functioning throughout the state.

Odisha

Normal life was affected in Odisha due to a 12-hour nationwide agitation, as per reports.

Public transport, markets, educational institutions, and business establishments were affected as major roads, including national and state highways, were blocked.

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The bandh's impact was felt in all major urban areas, including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Balasore, Berhampur and Sambalpur.

Telangana

Congress, CPI, CPI(M) leaders and workers held protests in Hyderabad and other places in Telangana as part of the nationwide strike.

Workers of state-run miner Singareni Colleries at Godavarikhani, about 200 kms from Hyderabad, also took part in the bandh.

A large number of Singareni employees stayed away from their duties and participated in protest programmes organised in the region.

Jharkhand

In Jharkhand, banking, insurance and coal sectors have been affected by the strike, Bank of India (BOI) Employees' Union state Deputy General Secretary Umesh Das said.

Left parties and the Congress have also extended their support to the strike in the state.

Chhattisgarh

In Chhattisgarh, several nationalised banks remained closed as employees joined the strike. Staff of insurance companies, post offices, along with labourers and farmers, also participated in the agitation, affecting operations in their respective sectors. Mining activities in the mineral-rich state were partially hit.

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However, transport services in the state functioned normally, and shops, markets and most business establishments remained open.

Normal life was largely unaffected in many areas, including Durg district in Chhattisgarh, where operations at the Bhilai Steel Plant continued as usual.

Punjab

Punjab's ruling party, AAP, has extended support to the nationwide strike.

The party announced that its cadre across Punjab and the rest of the country would join the shutdown shoulder-to-shoulder with workers and farmers.

Goa

The agitation drew a mixed response in Goa, with banking operations affected while essential services remained undisrupted. Nationalised banks and offices of many insurance companies remained shut in the coastal state.

Madhya Pradesh

Over 25,000 civilian employees working with defence establishments across Madhya Pradesh reported to work an hour late on Thursday to support the strike. Markets, schools and colleges remained open across the state.

West Bengal

The strike call failed to evoke any response in West Bengal as vehicles plied normally and state government and private offices recorded usual turnout.

Tripura

Similarly, the strike call failed to evoke much response in Tripura. Government offices, banks, educational institutions, and markets remained open, while road transport and train services operated as usual across the state.

Gujarat

It had little impact in Gujarat, with most services and commercial establishments functioning as usual across the state.

Normal life remained largely unaffected in major cities, including Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot.

Markets, shops, industrial units and educational institutions operated without disruption, while public transport services and autorickshaws ran without any problem.

What AITUC said

The joint forum of trade unions has claimed that 30 crore workers are being mobilised for a "general strike" to protest against the new Labour Codes, among other issues.

All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur told PTI that the general strike has started across the country on Thursday morning, and that she has received reports of agitation from states, including Assam, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Kerala, Odisha and Bihar.

She also informed about the processions in the industrial areas of New Delhi and that traffic on the roads is relatively light.

Kaur said banking, insurance, postal, transport, health, coal and non-coal mines, gas pipeline and electricity sectors will be affected by the strike.

She further said the farmers’ unions are also holding protests in their respective areas.

The trade unions’ immediate demands include the scrapping of four Labour Codes and rules, withdrawal of the Draft Seed Bill and Electricity Amendment Bill, and the ''Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act''.

The unions are also demanding the restoration of MGNREGA and the scrapping of the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act (VB-G RAM G), 2025. The joint forum includes INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC.

Rahul Gandhi backs strike

Earlier in the day, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, supported “Bharat Bandh”.

Congress leader Rahul wrote in Hindi on X, “Today, millions of workers and farmers across the country are on the streets, raising their voice for their rights. Workers fear that the four Labour Codes will weaken their rights. Farmers are apprehensive that trade agreements will strike a blow to their livelihood. And weakening or eliminating MGNREGA could snatch away the last support of the villages. When decisions were taken regarding their future, their voice was completely ignored.

“Will Modi ji listen now? Or is the “grip” on him too strong? I stand firmly with the issues of workers and farmers and with their struggle,” Rahul added.

(With agency inputs)