A two-day nationwide strike called by the trade unions to protest against the anti- labour policies of the NDA Government threw normal life out of gear across the State on its first day on Tuesday.
The agitators staged road blockades at various places and resorted to Rail Roko at several railway stations, thereby affecting movement of trains in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Brahmapur, Puri, Baleswar and other parts of the State
The protesters also staged picketing on the National Highways in Bhubaneswar, Rourkela, Baleswar, Brahmapur and Cuttack.
While most of the shops and business establishments remained closed, banking services were also affected due to the bandh.
Movement of vehicles, especially heavy ones, came to a grinding halt across the State. Commuters faced severe inconvenience due to the bandh while many passengers remained stranded at bus stands as buses remained off the roads.
In Bhubaneswar, city buses and auto-rickshaws stayed off the roads compounding the woes of commuters, who trudged by foot to reach their destinations. Same was the situation in Cuttack and other cities of the State as the protestors blocked road by burning tyres and picketing at important intersections.
Several thousand students appearing for the JEE Examinations in the State had a harrowing time due to the shutdown without any means of transport to reach the examination centres. Employees of different sectors including banking, education, coal, steel and telecom have extended their support to the strike.
The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress also extended their support to the bandh in the State. However, there are no reports of any violence or untoward incidents during the shutdown.
Notably, the trade unions are protesting against the alleged “anti-labour, anti-people and anti-national policies” of the Narendra Modi Government.
In a release, the CITU said the BJP Government had made “desperate attempts” to make “gross pro-employer changes in labour laws” ignoring the viewpoints of trade unions.
The trade unions demanded fulfilment of a 12-point charter of demands including inflation control, minimum wages, social security schemes, stalling privatisation of Government enterprises, discontinuation of foreign investments in railways, banks and insurance sectors and jobs for unemployed youths among others.