Call for ‘Bharat Bandh’ gets tepid response in Haryana's Karnal

On the call given by the Central Trade Union, employees of various departments under the banner of the Sarv Karamchari Sangh (SKS), CITU, bank unions, Retired Employees Association and others along with farmers under the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) observed a day-long ‘Bharat Bandh’ on Thursday, but the strike had a little visible impact in Karnal district.

Offices continued without disruption and a large number of employees were seen attending their offices. The public transport system remained unaffected, with buses operating smoothly from the local bus stands. As a precautionary measure, police teams were deployed at the bus stand since early morning to maintain law and order.

The employees and farmers had given the strike call to press for a series of demands, including the withdrawal of the four labour codes, halting the privatisation of public sector undertakings, regularising all contractual and scheme-based workers, reinstating the Old Pension Scheme, abolishing India-US agricultural trade deal and others. They also demanded a minimum wage of Rs 30,000 per month, filling of vacant posts through permanent recruitment, cancellation of the Electricity Bill 2025. The farmers demanded a legal guarantee of MSP for all crops and waiver of farm loans.

Despite the limited impact, scores of employees, retired personnel, workers, and farmers gathered at Fountain Park and later took out a protest march. The protesters raised slogans to press their demands.

Addressing the gathering, Sushil Gujjar, district president of the SKS, alleged that the government had replaced different labour laws with four labour codes to benefit corporates at the cost of workers. He termed the codes “a document of slavery” and opposed the proposal to extend working hours from eight to 12 hours.

He claimed that a large number of employees participated in this protest march and their strike was successful.