Three hundred million workers, farmers, students and professionals took to the streets across India on February 12, in defence of their rights and to denounce the policies of Narendra Modi’s ultra-right-wing government.
Workers went on strike, shutting down thousands of coal fields, refineries and factories, and banking and transportation in remote corners of the country, heeding the call of the Central Trade Unions (CTUs), a joint platform of major trade unions in India, including the Centre for Indian Trade Unions, All India Trade Union Congress, All India Central Council of Trade Unions and Hind Mazdoor Sabha, among others.
Workers were joined by millions of farmers and agricultural workers from across the country under the call of the Samyukta Kisan Sabha (SKM) and the All India Agricultural Workers Union, among others. The farmers and agricultural workers demonstrated at all the district headquarters and the village centres across the country.
Workers and farmers were joined in some locations by students, women’s organisations and other civil society groups who extended their solidarity with the strike call.
Strikers in many areas defied attempts by factory owners and security forces to stop the strike by picketing factory gates and marching on the streets to implement the strike.
In several states, such as Kerala, Odisha and Tripura, most businesses were shut in solidarity with the strike call. Demonstrations were held at government offices with thousands marching, shouting slogans, carrying banners, posters and red flags.
In the capital, Delhi, workers held large gatherings at the state secretariat. Later, they gathered at the Jantar Mantar [observatory], where CTU and SKM leaders spoke.
One of the major demands of the strike was the withdrawal of the trade deals India has recently agreed to with the United States and European Union. The CTUs, SKM and left parties have called the deals a surrender of the country’s sovereignty and harmful to the interests of the millions of Indian farmers, as they allow open market access to foreign farm products.
Another key demand was the withdrawal of the four new labour codes brought by the Modi government despite long-term opposition by the trade unions, and withdrawal of a new rural employment guarantee act called the VB-G RAM G Act.
Farmers and workers have also been demanding the withdrawal of the Modi government’s electricity law, seed bill and other laws, calling them pro-corporate and anti-people.
[Abridged from Peoples Dispatch.]