Bharat Bandh: 25 Crore Workers and Farmers Halt India, Government Calls for Dialogue Amid Mounting Demands.
Over 250 million workers and countless farmers supported this Bharat Bandh, making it one of the largest collective actions in recent years. Behind the headlines of traffic jams and disrupted banking operations lies a deeper story of economic anxiety, policy pushback, and the demand for dignity in work and life.
This Bharat Bandh was called by 10 central trade unions and supported by numerous farmers’ organizations. Their core demands included:
- ₹26,000 monthly minimum wage for workers to match rising living costs.
- Revival of the old pension scheme for social security.
- Repeal of four new labour codes that many claim dilute workers’ rights and collective bargaining power.
- Expansion of MGNREGS to 200 days to ensure rural employment security.
- Fair Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for farmers’ crops to ensure dignified income.
- Halt to aggressive privatization of public sector undertakings.
This was a strong message of anger against rising prices, new labour laws, and privatization.
Inflation is currently 6.4% (June 2025), and food inflation is even higher at 8.1%, making life difficult for many families.
Many factories, banks, and government offices had 30-40% of staff joining the strike.
The central government reacted cautiously.
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the government has increased MSP (Minimum Support Price) on major crops this year and is giving subsidies and interest-free loans to small farmers. He asked farmer groups to choose discussions over protests.
Voices from the Ground
“Didi, we don’t want to block roads. We just want our salary to be enough for our children’s milk and school books.”
Rekha Devi, a sanitation worker in Delhi, stood quietly on the roadside, holding her broom like a flag of survival. She hasn’t received her full wages for two months, yet the prices of onions and gas keep climbing.
“Humein nahi chahiye ye sab bandh, par kheti mein ab bacha kya hai?”
Amar Singh, a farmer from Punjab, says this as he looks over his fields. dignity.
Rahul, a construction worker in Mumbai, has worked on metro stations, malls, and highways. Yet, if he falls sick, he loses wages, and there is no job security. For him, Bharat Bandh is a rare chance to speak without fear.
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Author: Anjali Pandey
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