Bank services affected due to Bharat Bandh
The Bharat Bandh and Bank strike on Wednesday, January 8 saw the greatest impact on banking services. Due to the strike in banks, 28 lakh checks worth 21 thousand crores got stuck. At the same time, ATMs were also reported to be empty in many cities, due to which people had problems of cash.
Working in government banks most affected
The biggest impact of the strike was seen in public sector banks. People could neither deposit nor withdraw money by visiting bank branches. However banks had informed their customers ahead of time. Banks remained open throughout the country during the bandh, but services like money withdrawal were affected in many places as most of the bank personnel supported the strike.
In many areas, cash could not be withdrawn through ATM’s during this period, banking, traffic and other services were disrupted. However, the bandh in government departments remained completely ineffective and functioning was normal. Besides, petrol pumps, power plants, oil refineries, etc. were also functioning normally.
25 crore people claim to be involved
Trade unions claim that around 25 crore people participated in this strike. The demands for which this bandh was organized included demands for creating new employment opportunities, prohibiting amendments in labor laws and job security.
Along with this, the minimum wage should be 21 thousand rupees, privatization, globalization and liberalization should be stopped, labor laws which are anti labor, they should be removed, old pension should be restored, power companies should be integrated in Uttar Pradesh. Demands such as prohibition on outsourcing, contract and contractual practice, ban on foreign capital investment in banks, insurance and railway sector were included.
The strike was organized by 10 central trade unions INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEVA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC.
