On July 9, 2025, a general strike on a national scale occurred in India, the so-called Bharat Bandh, which was announced by the union of ten central trade unions, with the support of farmers (organizations). Through this mega protest that comprised more than 25 crore workers operating in different sectors, the unions wanted to hold the central government accountable to their policies, which the unions call anti-work, anti-farmer, and pro-corporate. The strike brought a lot of interruption to the entire country in terms of vital services such as banking, transportation in the country, postal services, and coal mining. This is the background information of what made the strike take place, those involved in it, and how it affected everyday lives in India.
The Reason for the Bharat Bandh.
Bharat Bandh was conducted to protest the policies of the government as per the allegations of trade unions in its favor of the interests of the corporates at the expense of the welfare of workers as well as farmers. The unions have also presented 17 long-standing grievances that the government has neglected. Among the main grievances used, there are four labor codes that the unions claim have weakened their movement as well as increased working time and taken away the right of workers to collectively bargain and strike. Such codes are also viewed to repeal criminal sanctions on those employers who undergo violation of the labor laws, which further lowers down the protection of the workers.
The unions are also against the government policy of privatization of economic activities that are publicly owned, outsourcing of jobs, and the rising spurt of contract employment. According to them, they are resulting in job insecurity, declining wages, and social security for millions of workers. Lack of the Indian Labour Conference meetings in the last decade or so and the inability to consider the demands of added governmental employment and wage increments has also poured more passion on the frustration of the unions. Samyukta Kisan Morcha and agricultural workers unions also participated in the strike, raising issues regarding the policies that they believe hurt the farmers and rural laborers.
Who was involved in the strike?
A wide range of trade unions and workers participated in the Bharat Bandh in both the formal and the informal sectors. The ten major trade unions directing the protest were the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), the Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), the Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC), the Self Employed Women Association (SEWA), the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), the Labour Progressive Federation (LPF), and the United Trade Union Congress (UTUC). Such unions carry representatives of different industries: banking, insurance, postal services, the coal industry, highways, construction, and state transportation.
Rural India has also been very important in the strike, as Samyukta Kisan Morcha and unions of agricultural workers managed to gather immense mobilizations in villages. It is estimated that 25 to 40 crore workers and farmers joined, and this was one of the largest coordinated protests in recent times. Not all unions, however, supported the bandh. According to the Union Labour Ministry, about 213 unions, inclusive of the RSS-aided Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), had made known to the government that they will not participate in the strike.
Effect on Everyday Life
Bharat Bandh had large-scale havoc in India because it badly disturbed the normal routine in areas such as banks, transportation, postal systems, and more. Businesses and places such as Fashion Street, a commercial hub in cities like Kochi, were closed, leaving streets empty. The strike caused a tense situation in West Bengal, where lathicharge was allegedly used by the police to quell workers who were trying to demand the strike. The left-party unions held foot marches in Basti, such as Jadavpur in Kolkata, and some of the protests were chaotic, with police watering down arson caused by protesters
The areas that were severely hit were the public transport. In Kerala, the situation was further aggravated when the private bus operators therein had already resorted to strike action on July 8, further compounding the national bandh on July 9. But Kerala Transport Minister K. B. Ganesh Kumar explained that Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses, which are government-owned, will not stop operation since the trade unions had not specified formally the involvement in the strike. This notwithstanding, in other states, transport systems were not that effective, bringing the transport systems to a halt, resulting in delays and inconveniences to commuters.
Banking facilities were also not spared, as numerous bank branches have been closed or are running with less personnel. These activities also affected the postal services and the coal mining operations, which were particularly influenced by the high number of workers representing this sector who joined the striking process. Nonetheless, the Indian financial markets, such as the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), were all open, and the trading was no exception to the norm, i.e., the usual timing of the stock market, i.e., 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM.
What remained open?
Even though the strike affected a lot of areas in which a lot of services are needed, there were others that were not affected. Schools, colleges, and government offices remained open, although transport problems resulted in delays for the students and the workers in certain places. The protest was not officially participated in by the railway unions, and hence the railway services were not seriously affected, though a few operational problems were reported as indirect repercussions of the bandh.
Government and public reaction
The Bharat Bandh attracted mixed responses in the nation. Advocates of the strike, such as trade unions and farmers associations, insisted that the government must respond to their grievances and change some of its policies, which they feel affect the workers and farmers negatively. They demanded sincere negotiation with the government to clear the 17-point charter of demand that they had presented to Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya last year.
The Union Labour Ministry, on the other hand, played down the effect of the strike, as many unions, including the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, did not join in. And the government has all along insisted that its policies are geared towards economic growth and development and have never been anti-worker or anti-farmer. The magnitude of the protest, with millions of workers and farmers going into the streets, however, highlighted the rising disappointments with the labor and economic reforms by the government.
A demonstration and protest
The Bharat Bandh was characterized by protests and demonstrations in different regions in India. In Siliguri, West Bengal, shops were closed, and roads were empty with massive police deployment. The left-party unions in Kolkata also marched to create awareness regarding the goals of the strike. Such protests were mostly nonaggressive, but some of them, like that in the Howrah, showed some cases of violence that demonstrated the tense atmosphere around the bandh. The unions hailed the strike as a great success, citing its high coverage and disruption as an indication of their impact.
The Importance of Why This Matters
The Bharat Bandh that was undertaken on 9th July, 2025, was not merely a strike that lasted a day but a strong message against the policies that are, according to the trade unions and organizations of farmers, being geared towards the corporate interest rather than being in the interest of the common workers and the rural citizens. The strike included more than 25 crore people who participated in it, which demonstrated that the level of discontent with government labor and economic policies had been very big. It also highlighted the issues of reconciling economic reforms and the national welfare of workers and farmers in the rapidly developed economy.
To most of the Indians the bandh caused inconvenience in daily activities, such as transport and use of banking facilities. Nonetheless, it also forced people to take care of such crucial aspects as job security, adequate salaries, and defense of the rights of workers. As time passes, more pressure will be mounted on the government to check these issues and carry on a dialogue with the trade unions and farmers organizations to reach a solution.
Looking Ahead
The Bharat Bandh has paved the way for more deliberations on labor policies and economic policies in India. The unions have also clarified that they are not ready to negotiate their demands and are even ready to stage more protests in case the government fails to act. To date, the strike has managed to bring the national attention to the plight of workers and farmers, yet going forward the strike may have the most value in the event it results in a successful policy change. India is struggling with such problems, and the Bharat Bandh reminds everyone about the strength of unity in shaping the future of the country.
