New Delhi: As many as 25 core people are estimated to take part in the nationwide general strike on January 8 in order to protests against some of the policies of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central government and also to press for a 12-point common demands of the working class. The 'Bharat Bandh' is being supported by Central Trade Unions (CTUs) and their affiliates such as INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, UTUC against the government’s policies which are ‘anti-people’.

The Centre government, however, has warned its employees of 'consequences' if they go on strike called on January 8 by one of their associations to protest against union government's policies including labour reforms, foreign direct investment (FDI) and privatisation, according to a Personnel ministry order.

In a joint statement published by the CITU on its website, the trade union said that the strike is against "anti-labour policies of the government, along with other issues".

Bharat Bandh: All You Need To Know

1. Reports suggest that banking operations across the country are likely to get affected on Wednesday as employees of many public sector banks (PSBs) will join the all-India general strike. Several bank branches and ATM services could take a hit as PSB employee unions will protest against Modi government for introduction certain reforms and policies.

Several banks including State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank fear that the strike will impact its services on January 8.

2. About 60 organisations of students and elected office bearers of some universities have also decided to join the strike with an agenda to raise voice against increased fee structure and commercialization of education, news agency PTI quoted.

3. Several trade unions condemned violence in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and similar incidents in other university campuses and expressed their solidarity with students and teachers all over India.

4. Several trade unions will also be protesting against privatisation in railways, corporatisation of 49 defence production units and forced merger of banks.

5. A joint platform of more than 175 farmers and agricultural workers unions will extend its support to workers' demands and also observe January 8 as Gramin Bharat Bandh along with their charter of demands.

Bharat Bandh: What Central Trade Unions said?

"We expect participation of not less than 25 crore of working people in the forthcoming National General Strike on January 8, 2020, to be followed by many more actions seeking reversal of the anti-worker, anti-people, anti-national policies of the Government," CTUs said in a joint statement as quoted by news agency PTI.

"The Ministry of Labour has failed to assure on any of the demands of workers which called a meeting on January 2, 2020. The attitude of the government is that of contempt towards labour as we construe from its policies and actions," the statement added.

Bharat Bandh: When and where the nationwide strike will take place?

As per reports, the general nationwide strike will take place on November 8 - i.e. Wednesday - across the country. The bandh will take place throughout the day and protests will be conducted in different parts of the country.

Bharat Bandh: What Central government said?

In a missive issued to all central government departments, it said existing instructions prohibit a government servant from participating in any form of strike including mass casual leave etc. It said the right to form the association does not include any guaranteed right to strike or protest.

"There is no statutory provision empowering the employees to go on strike," the ministry said.

The Supreme Court has also agreed in several judgement that going on a strike is a grave misconduct under the rules and that misconduct by the government employees is required to be dealt with in accordance with law, it said.

"All officers are also requested not to sanction casual leave or any other kind of leave to the officers and employees, if applied for, during the period of proposed strike, and ensure that willing officers are allowed hindrance free entry into the office premises," said the order, also issued to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) asking it to ensure strict vigil.