The 24-hour nationwide general strike called by trade unions on Thursday against the Central government’s policies brought life to a standstill in Kerala with public transport largely crippled, shops and markers remaining closed.
The strike, supported by various trade unions to protest against the central government’s labor codes, brought the transportation to an abrupt halt, closed businesses, and heavily impacted government offices. The state-run KSRTC and private buses remained off the roads, causing major inconvenience to commuters. Taxi and auto-rickshaw services were largely unavailable.
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Markets and shops remained shut in most parts of the state. Educational institutions remained closed, while the government offices saw limited footfall of employees.
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A KSRTC bus that reached Thampanoor in Thiruvananthapuram was blocked by protestors. Though public and private sector financial institutions had opened in many places in the state in the morning, they were later forcibly shut down by protesters. The employees of the Catholic Syrian Bank, Kalpetta were not allowed to enter the bank by the strike supporters. The branch later shut down. A minor clash broke out when CITU workers blocked teachers and students who tried to enter the Government Upper Primary School in Puthiyangadi, Kozhikode. Locals and parents of the students asked the supporters of the strike not to block the teachers and students , who came to attend the school. This led to a minor scuffle. Police soon intervened and dispersed the crowd, after which the teachers also left.
Essential services, including hospitals, pharmacies, milk distribution, and Kochi Metro services, remained operational to offer limited relief to the public.
The 24-hour strike was called by a joint forum of 10 central trade unions ,including CITU, INTUC, and AITUC, to protest the Central Government’s new labour codes and farm policies.
Meanwhile , Opposition leader V D Satheesan, called for a public debate on whether nationwide strikes should be observed as hartals or complete shutdowns in the state. He asked whether a strike similar to a hartal and a bandh is being held in any other state in India other than Kerala, saying that it is a national strike.
Speaking to reporters in Kozhikode on Thursday, Satheesan said, “My question is: Is it appropriate in this age to turn a nationwide strike into a hartal or a bandh? I am not saying whether it is right or wrong, but I am placing it for a public discussion.
Satheesan emphasised that people in other states are largely unaware of nationwide strikes, while in Kerala, strikes often halt normal life. “There should be a public discussion, as only in Kerala, a strike becomes a hartal or bandh that brings normal life to a standstill. Whether this practice should continue must be discussed by the public,” he added.
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