Bharat Bandh Today Highlights: Protestors raise ‘Trap Deal’ slogans, farmers set for Delhi march; Banks closed today?

The nationwide strike called by trade unions against the Centre's policies on Thursday triggered protests in a few districts of Madhya Pradesh, while over 25,000 civilian employees working with defence establishments across the state reported to work an hour late.

Instead of reporting at 8 am, the workers started duty at 9 am, a spokesperson told PTI.

Over 25,000 civilian workers posted at six ordnance factories in MP, the 506 Army Base Workshop, the Central Ordnance Depot and Military Engineer Services reported for duty an hour late as a mark of protest, said S N Pathak, president of All-India Defence Employees Federation.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday slammed the total shutdown in Kerala as part of the nationwide strike observed by trade unions against the Centre's labour codes, calling it a "lamentable irony" that turned into a mere "Kerala Bandh".

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Tharoor said that while the rest of India has evolved beyond such coercive disruptions, Kerala remains uniquely held hostage by this organised tyranny of the minority over the unorganised majority.

"It is a lamentable irony that today's Bharat Bandh is, in reality, merely another Kerala Bandh," he said in the social media post.

The nationwide strike called by trade unions against the Centre's policies on Thursday triggered protests in a few districts of Madhya Pradesh, while over 25,000 civilian employees working with defence establishments across the state reported to work an hour late.

Instead of reporting at 8 am, the workers started duty at 9 am, a spokesperson told PTI.

Over 25,000 civilian workers posted at six ordnance factories in MP, the 506 Army Base Workshop, the Central Ordnance Depot and Military Engineer Services reported for duty an hour late as a mark of protest, said S N Pathak, president of All-India Defence Employees Federation.

States including Kerala, Odisha, and Karnataka are expected to witness a larger disruption due to stronger unions, as per reports.

The Central trade unions and farmers' organisations called for a nationwide strike on February 12, 2026, against the new labour codes and the proposed India–US trade deal.

A jorum of 10 central trade unions, which include INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, and UTUC, has announced the strike.

The nationwide strike by central trade unions on Thursday against the Centre's labour reforms and proposed India-US trade agreement had little impact in Gujarat, with most services and commercial establishments functioning as usual across the state, officials told PTI.

Trade union representatives in Gujarat held protests at a few places, while a few employees of public sector banks remained away from work. However, all other things were functioning normally, officials assured further.

INC's Kerala State President R Chandrasekaran on Thursday said, “It is a 24-hour strike. We expect around 40 crores of people, workers, and farmers to participate in the strike,” ANI reported.

He added, "The most important thing is that the budget presented by the Narendra Modi government is totally anti-labour, anti-farmer... What we demand is the immediate withdrawal of the Labour Code and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. Why was it scrapped? Why was that name removed?"

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) District Secretary Russell claimed that the impact of workers strike was felt in the energy sector. According to the CITU leader, NLC Tamil Nadu Power Limited (NTPL) thermal power station witnessed a 100 per cent strike on Thursday, PTI reported.

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) District Secretary Russell claimed that a major part of the operations at the V O Chidambaranar Port in Thoothukudi was affected due to the strike. Suggesting that Bharat Band is going on in full swing in most of the central government departments, he said that the strike has seen a massive response with over 30 crore farmers and workers participating across the country, PTI reported.

According to CITU leader, nearly 40 per cent of workers at the Chennai port joined the stir.

Gujarat state police control room issued an official notification on Sunday stating that markets, shops, industrial units and educational institutions operated without disruption in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot.

"There are no reports of any disruption in Gujarat due to the bandh call. Commercial activities are continuing as usual, and law and order is under control. There is no significant impact of the bandh in the state," the notice said.

Guwahati roads felt the impact of the nationwide shutdown on Thursday as protestors stopped commercial vehicles in the Khanapara area and staged protest.

Agitators staging rail roko protest were detained in Chennai as a part of nationwide Bharat Bandh.

Speaking with ANI, General Secretary of AICCTU Mahendra Parida criticised the new Labour Codes that allow 10 to 12-hour shifts, effectively extending workdays beyond the ILO-mandated 8 hours. They also condemned changes to gratuity rules, which reduce eligibility from 5 years to one year, calling it a "trap" for workers.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday said, "Whatever they (Centre) are doing is completely wrong. They are betraying the farmers. The kind of trade deal they have signed will result is sufferings for farmers. We are supporting the labour unions in their strike today."

According to PTI report, nationwide strike called by 14 central trade unions on Thursday failed to evoke any response in West Bengal. Vehicles plied normally and state government and private offices recorded usual turnout amid heavy deployment of police forces. Meanwhile, private and state-run vehicles plied normally in Kolkata and other districts, while schools remained open.

CPI(M)'s student wing SFI staged protests in front of the gates of Jadavpur and Presidency universities.

Opposition MPs raised slogans in the Parliament premises on Thursday such as “Kisano Par Hain Sankat Bhari, US Deal Hain Atyachari,” and displayed posters that read “Trap Deal.”

Congress MP Jebi Mather, Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav, Congress MPs Digvijaya Singh, Rajeev Shukla, Manickam Tagore and RSP MP NK Premachandran staged a protest against the Indo-US trade deal.

General Secretary of AICCTU Mahendra Parida said, “All the Central Trade Unions have joined together in this strike and shutdown. Our demand is against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government's decision to merge 29 existing labour laws into four new Labour Codes,” ANI reported.

He added, "These codes will turn the working class into slaves of the employers. Under these new rules, workers will no longer have the right to strike, and the working day will be extended to 12 hours. This is a direct violation of International Labour Organisation standards."

Protesters on Thursday took to streets and roads in Orissa amid nationwide shutdown. Carrying banners and raising slogans, they chanted "Inquilab Zindabad!" (Long live the revolution), "Shramika Ekta Zindabad!" (Long live workers' unity), "Kendra Sarkar Hosh Mein Aao!" (Central Government, come to your senses), and "Amara Dabi, Purana Hou!" (Fulfill our demands), ANI reported.

Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav on Thursday said, "All these bills are being brought to turn people into bonded labourers; these are against the people, against the interests of the people, this government is working every day to suppress the voice of the common people," ANI reported.

All India Trade Union Congress General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur said banking, insurance, postal, transport, health, coal and non-coal mines, gas pipeline and electricity sectors will be affected by Thursday's strike.

All India Trade Union Congress General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur in an interview with PTI said that she has received reports of the agitation from states, including Assam, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Kerala, Odisha and Bihar.

Transport workers in Punjab joined the nationwide strike on Thursday, affecting bus services in parts of the state.

Visuals from Wayanad in Kerala showed rows of shuttered shops as the nationwide strike came into effect on Thursday morning.

Banks operations across India might face disruptions today due to the nationwide strike called by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha and several trade unions. However, online banking services will not be impacted.

Workers and farmers' unions took to roads to protest in Bhubaneswar on Thursday to protest against the new labour codes and the free trade agreements.

Communist Party of India (CPI) leader and All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) working president Binoy Viswam extended his full support for the nationwide farmers' strike. He described it as a movement to protect people's basic rights, ANI reported.

Congress senior leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi in a post on X on Thursday extended his full support to the nationwide strike being observed by workers and farmers.

Affirming his support to workers and farmers' protest, he stated, “Today, millions of workers and farmers across the country are on the streets, raising their voice for their rights. Workers fear that the four Labour Codes will weaken their rights. Farmers are apprehensive that trade agreements will strike a blow to their livelihood. And weakening or eliminating MGNREGA could snatch away the last support of the villages."

He added, "When decisions were taken regarding their future, their voice was completely ignored. Will Modi ji listen now? Or is the 'grip' on him too strong? I stand firmly with the issues of workers and farmers and with their struggle.”

With KSRTC and private buses remaining off the roads, Kerala's commuters are facing the brunt of nationwide. Compounding the problem for travellers, auto-rickshaw unions also extended support to Bharat Bandh call.

Educational institutions like schools and colleges, banks and offices will remain open today in Kerala, as per latest order. However, operations may be impacted due to nationwide strike. Shops and businesses are likely to remain closed due to the nationwide shutdown called by trade unions against the Centre's Labour Codes.

Kerela government declared a ‘dies-non’ for government employees, mandating attendance at offices places. According to n official order, employees who fail to attend office will see a pay cut except in cases of personal illness or illness of close relatives, examinations, maternity leave or other unavoidable reasons.

Punjab's ruling party AAP on Wednesday said that it would join the nationwide strike called by the central trade unions and farmer bodies. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) denounced the BJP-led Union government's “anti-worker labour policies and anti-farmer economic decisions.”

Apple farmers in Himachal Pradesh extended support to the nationwide farmers' strike and announced a Delhi march.

Apple farmers in Himachal Pradesh argue that recent import duty reductions under India-US and other free trade agreements could devastate the hill state's apple-based economy.

Visuals from Thiruvananthapuram's Kerala show deserted marketplace amid KSRTC workers’ unions support to the nationwide strike. Private bus associations also extended support to Bharat Bandh call.

The Central Trade Unions are protesting against privatisation, contractualisation, four labour codes, the Electricity Amendment Bill 2025, changes to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), and the proposed Seed Bill.

NFITU Odisha president Prasanta Padhi said that NFITU does not support the nationwide strike. In an interview with ANI, Prasanta Padhi said, "A nationwide strike is going to be held on 12 th February, 2026 by various trade unions. The NFITU does not support it. There is a way to make your demands heard. This strike might benefit or harm the workers. NFITU has welcomed these new labour laws nationwide. We have given a few suggestions to the government."

Karnataka NFITU will not participate in the nationwide strike. The state president Venkatesh said, "I welcome the new labour codes by the central government. They favour the workers. In the code introduced now, it says equal work and equal payment. It is now mandatory to issue an appointment letter. We will not join the strike…. The working class will not go on strike," ANI reported.

GuwahatiNFITU General Secretary Nilam Hazarika said, "A strike is proposed across the country against the new labour law tomorrow. We at NFITU will not participate because we believe it is politically motivated. The facilities not covered by this law are now available. This is a successful effort by PM Modi," ANI reported.

The National Front of Indian Trade Unions (NFITU) on Wednesday announced that it will not participate in the calls for Bharat Bandh. Opting out of the nationwide strike, it argued that the proposed protest was "politically motivated."

Essential services are expected to function normally, including hospitals, ambulance services, pharmacies, water and electricity supply, fire services, airports and railways. However, some private offices and online delivery services may operate with reduced staff.

The nationwide strike is expected to involve nearly 30 crore workers across multiple sectors. The Bharat Bandh call could impact banking services, transportation and other key public services.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) Convenor Hannan Mollah called the agreement a “betrayal against farmers.” According to him, rising imports could weaken farm incomes and threaten livelihoods.

The union alleges that trade agreements with countries such as the US and the European Union put additional pressure on the farming sector and place smaller economies at a disadvantage.

According to the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), the new trade framework would negatively impact Indian farmers. Objecting to the reforms, the organisation warned that cheaper imported goods would negatively impact indigenous farmers, making it harder for local agricultural produce to compete.

So far, there has been no official notification from authorities announcing a holiday for banks, schools and colleges, post offices, or government offices. Educational institutions, government departments and public sector units, may face closures or disruptions on 12th February in wake of trade unions' strike.

In major cities, shops, markets, fuel stations and industrial units may remain shut while public transport and road movement may face disruptions. Meanwhile, private offices and businesses are expected to take independent decisions based on local conditions