Bharat Bandh Sees Limited Impact in Cachar; Road Blockade Called Off Within an Hour in Silchar

A nationwide strike or Bharat Bandh, called by several central trade unions, saw a very limited response in the Cachar district on Wednesday (July 9). In Silchar, nearly 100 people joined the protest, and the main demonstration held near the Khudiram Bose Statue was cleared off by Cachar Police within an hour, after picketers were detained.

Though there were small groups of protesters, or picketters, seen at various points from early morning, life in the town remained mostly normal. Shops were open, and vehicles moved as usual across major areas like Tarapur, Rangirkhari, Central Road, and even the busy Fatak Bazar. Police were seen in large numbers to prevent any disorder, and traffic near the District Commissioner’s office—which was briefly blocked by protestors—was cleared by 11 AM.

Despite the low turnout, some protestors voiced strong opinions. A SUCI leader at the scene said, “Today’s strike is supported by 54 trade unions across the country. Here in Silchar, along with AIUTUC, our party, SUCI (Communist), is fully backing this strike. Our cadres are present across the town to support it. The strike is against the anti-worker labour codes and issues like price rise, unemployment, and privatisation.” Another protester warned that unless the government met their demands, larger protests would be organised in the future.

“Use of force by the police can never stop any protest, and our strike will continue today nationwide”, said another union leader as the Cachar Police were clearing off the protest. The detained picketers were taken to the Sadar Police station in order to clear the road blockade. To muffle the sloganeering, traffic cops also blew their whistles. Police detained all the picketers from near the Khudiram Bose pedestal in Silchar for trying to block roads and disrupt public life. However, no major incidents of violence or disturbance were reported at the time of writing this report.

Banks, Post Offices, Schools and other business establishments are open across the valley.

Dipti Sinha, Secretary of the Anganwadi Karmi Sohayika Songstha, said, “We are part of this strike with 17 demands. We’ve been asking for better wages since 2023, but there has been no response from the government.” She also highlighted technical difficulties faced by Anganwadi workers during Aadhaar verification duties, especially for EKYC during FRS tasks.

The strike was organised by a joint platform of major trade unions, including INTUC, AITUC, CITU, HMS, AIUTUC, AICCTU, SEWA, LPF, UTUC, and TUCC. Their protest is mainly against the four labour codes passed by Parliament, which they claim weaken workers’ rights, reduce the power of unions, and allow employers to avoid punishment for labour law violations.

They are also opposing privatisation of public sector companies, increasing contractual jobs, and delays in holding the Indian Labour Conference, which has not been held for the past ten years. The unions accuse the government of ignoring workers’ issues and adopting policies that are “anti-worker, anti-farmer, and pro-corporate.”

While the strike saw limited public participation in Cachar, especially in Silchar, the protestors say the struggle will continue unless the government listens to their demands.