A 12-hour Bharat Bandh on January 8 called by 10 central trade unions is likely to cripple normal life in Odisha as the State unit of the Congress has decided to support the nationwide protest. Central trade unions like All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) and Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) will observe the bandh in protest against the ‘anti-labour’ policies of the Central Government.
They will also press for fulfilment of a 14-point charter of demands, including scrapping of the proposed labour reforms, a hike in the minimum wage to Rs 21,000-Rs 24,000 per month and revocation of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR).
Reports said around 25 crore people will participate in the bandh across the country.
After meeting Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Niranjan Patnaik here on Monday, AITUC national secretary Ramakrushna Panda said the State Congress would extend full support to the protest.
While banking services are set to be affected the most due to the shutdown, ambulance service, medicine shops, examination candidates and milk vans would be exempted from the bandh’s purview, he added.
However, vehicles would stay off the roads and shops and other establishments would remain closed during the protest.