New Delhi: A massive nationwide strike led by ten major opposition trade unions is causing widespread disruption across India, as over 250 million workers protest against the central government’s alleged anti-labour policies. The 24-hour strike, which began at midnight on Tuesday, has brought key sectors like banking, transport, railways, and telecom to a partial standstill.
Spearheaded by unions including INTUC, CITU, AITUC, HMS, TUCC, SEWA, LPF, AIUTUC, AICCTU, and UTUC, the strike has seen participation from workers in insurance, defence, construction, electricity, mining, and postal services.
Despite the massive turnout, the central government claimed that around 213 unions — including the pro-government Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) — have opted out. The national response remains mixed, with metro cities like Mumbai continuing normal operations, while several regions resemble shutdown-like conditions.
Kerala has witnessed near-total participation, with even left-leaning pro-government unions joining the protest. In response, the Kerala government has declared a dies-non day, warning that employees absent without valid reasons will lose a day’s salary. State-run services like the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) have also followed suit.
Amid the unrest, universities in Kerala — including Kerala, MG, Calicut, and Kannur — have postponed all exams scheduled for today, adding to the wide-ranging impact of the strike.
