Today, July 9, 2025, a Bharat Bandh is underway, led by 10 central trade unions, including INTUC, AITUC, CITU, HMS, and SEWA, alongside Samyukta Kisan Morcha, representing over 25 crore workers. The strike protests the Central Government’s “anti-worker, anti-farmer, pro-corporate” policies, notably the 2020 Labour Codes and privatization plans, disrupting banking, transport, and mining across urban and rural India through rallies and road blockades.
In This Article:
Core Demands Fueling the Strike
The bandh responds to a 2024, 17-point charter, ignored by Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, demanding the scrapping of labor codes, which unions like CITU claim erode job security and bargaining rights, per ANI. Privatization in railways, banks, and power sectors threatens jobs, with 27 lakh power employees joining, per report. Rising unemployment (7.8% urban, CMIE 2025), inflation, and cuts in health and education spending exacerbate economic distress. Farmers, backed by Samyukta Kisan Morcha, seek MSP guarantees and subsidy restoration, echoing 2021 protests, per StudyIQ. Rumors tying the bandh to SC/ST reservations are false, linked to an August 2024 protest, per report.
Anticipated Disruptions Across Sectors
The strike’s impact varies regionally, based on verified reports:
- Banking: Public sector banks may face disruptions; private banks and ATMs remain operational
- Transport: Public buses and cabs may halt in cities like Bengaluru and Kochi; metro and air travel are unaffected, per Livemint.
- Education: Tamil Nadu and Puducherry schools may close due to transport issues; Delhi-NCR institutions stay open.
- Railways: Protests near tracks in Assam and West Bengal may delay trains, not halt them.
- Stock Markets: BSE and NSE function normally from 9 AM to 3:30 PM.
- Essential Services: Hospitals, emergency services, and internet networks operate without interruption.
Claims of a “total shutdown” are exaggerated; critical services continue.Government’s Stance and Counter-Narratives
The Labour Ministry claims 213 unions, including BMS, are not participating, suggesting limited impact, per reports. The government’s Employment Linked Incentive schemes face criticism as employer-centric, per PTI. Enhanced security in areas like Western Uttar Pradesh aims to prevent unrest, per report. Rumors of widespread violence lack evidence; police are on alert.
Implications for India’s Future
Amplified by 467 million social media users, the bandh underscores economic discontent within India’s ₹101 billion entertainment and digital sectors. Unresolved demands could escalate protests, impacting projects like Gaganyaan and Northeast rail expansion. As India’s OTT market grows at a 28.5% CAGR, digital platforms will amplify such movements. The government’s response will shape labor and economic policies in 2025.
-By Manoj H