Thiruvananthapuram, 12 Feb (H.S.):Kerala witnessed widespread disruption on Thursday as a 24-hour nationwide general strike called jointly by ten central trade unions came into force at midnight on Wednesday, bringing normal life across the State to a near standstill. With both ruling and opposition-backed organisations extending support, the shutdown is expected to paralyse public transport, commercial establishments, and several sectors of government functioning until midnight.
The strike is part of a coordinated national protest against what trade unions describe as anti-worker policies of the Central and State governments. Millions of employees, including government staff, bank and insurance workers, and personnel from coal, electricity, and defence sectors, are participating in the agitation. Farmers’ groups and agricultural labour unions have also joined the protest, widening its reach.
Major demands raised by the unions include the withdrawal of the new labour codes, restoration of employment guarantee schemes, scrapping of proposed amendments to electricity and seed laws, and opposition to 100 per cent foreign direct investment in the insurance sector. The unions have also objected to the privatisation of the nuclear energy sector and other public assets.
The strike has been organised under the leadership of prominent trade union federations such as CITU, AITUC, INTUC, HMS, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, and UTUC. CITU alone has planned demonstrations at more than 1,000 centres across the country, with around 1,000 participants expected at each location. Public meetings, marches, and vehicle rallies are being held as part of the protest.
In Kerala, shops and markets remain closed, while buses and most private vehicles are off the roads. However, essential services have been exempted. Hospitals, milk supply, newspapers, medical stores, and emergency services continue to function. Authorities have also allowed vehicles carrying tourists or those travelling for urgent purposes such as funerals and weddings, provided proper identification boards are displayed.
Meanwhile, the State government has declared the day as ‘dies non’, meaning employees absent from duty will not be eligible for wages for the day.
With widespread participation and strict observance, the strike has effectively halted daily life in Kerala, underscoring the growing unrest among workers over economic and labour reforms.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
