Bharat Bandh Today: Who Has Called For The February 12 Nationwide Shutdown And Why?

Bharat Bandh Today: Public transport, banking operations and educational institutions are likely to be affected on Thursday, February 12, in view of ‘Bharat Bandh’. This comes as a joint forum of 10 trade unions has called for a nationwide strike to protest against policies of the central government.

According to reports, around 30 crore workers are expected to participate in the bandh, affecting operations in several sectors. Click here for Live updates on what all has been affected due to Bharat Bandh.

Who Has Called For Bharat Bandh Today?

A joint forum of 10 trade union have called for the Bharat Bandh on Thursday. These include major union bodies such as INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC.

Farmers’ group Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has supported and

backed the bandh as part of broader protest actions. Several farmers’ organisations and allied workers’ unions are also participating in or endorsing the call for the general strike.

State President of the National Front of Indian Trade Unions (NFITU) for West Bengal, Bumba Mukherjee said, “The trade unions will hold a strike across the country against the new labour codes… The labour codes issued by the Indian government are in the interest of workers. The old laws were from the British era and a strike is a loss to the country. We want talks first… We are protesting against this strike in the interest of workers…”

Addressing the media, All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur said the scale of participation is expected to surpass previous mobilisations. “Not less than 30 crore workers will join the strike on February 12. During the July 9, 2025 protest, around 25 crore workers took part,” she said.

Why Have These Bodies Called For Bharat Bandh?

The strike has been called for several reasons including new labour codes and the India-Us trade deal, the exact details of which are yet to be out.

New Labour Codes

One of the core drivers of the strike is opposition to the four consolidated labour codes that replaced 29 older labour laws. The unions argue that these new codes weaken worker protections and workers’ rights. They also allege the new codes make it easier for employers to hire and fire workers, reducing job security. Unions say these codes reduce bargaining power and weaken safeguards for contract and informal workers, and see them as a tilt towards corporate flexibility at the cost of workers’ welfare.

India-US Trade Deal

Farmer bodies have strongly objected to a recent interim trade framework between India and the United States, arguing that this deal will lead to an influx of cheap American agricultural and dairy imports, hurting domestic farmers’ incomes. Farners allege the deal undermines India’s agricultural sector and small rural producers who cannot compete with subsidised US farm products.

“Agreement will be a betrayal against farmers… We are surrendering before the shrewdness of US. The Governmet has surrendered. Piyush Goyal should resign. He betrayed Indian farmers. On this basis, we have started a campaign, from 4th February to 11th February SKM will go to farmers. On 12th, Bharat Bandh has been called over this,” SKM Convenor Hannan Mollah told news agency ANI.

Other Reasons

Beyond labour codes and trade agreements, unions and farmers have raised additional complaints, including:

• Opposition to privatisation of public sector units and loss of government jobs.
• Stagnant wages, lack of adequate social security and protection for workers.
• Demands for stronger employment guarantees, including reinstating or strengthening rural job programmes such as MGNREGA.
• Rollback of other bills seen as unfavourable to workers and rural communities (e.g., Draft Seed Bill, Electricity Amendment Bill, VB-G RAM G Act).

What Protesters Are Demanding

• The protesters have outlined a range of demands, including:
• Withdrawal of the four labour codes and related rules.
• Rollback of proposed bills perceived to undermine workers’ and farmers’ rights.
• Restoration of strong employment guarantees under rural job schemes.
• Protection of agricultural producers against cheap imports, and legal guarantees for minimum support prices (as voiced by farmer groups).

The BJP has, however, dismissed concerns over the India-US trade deal. Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar said, “The farmers, especially of Punjab, are being mislead…The farmer are totally protected under the India-US Interim Trade Agreement…The India-US Interim Trade Agreement will positively impact the farmers of Punjab.”