Bharat Bandh On 9 July 2025? — Are Banks, Schools And Government Offices Open Tomorrow?
In view of the Bharat Bandh, the trade unions have been mobilising support across both organised and unorganised sectors.
More than 25 crore workers from sectors such as banking, insurance, postal services, coal mining and highways, among others, have called for a nationwide general strike on Wednesday, July 9.
The strike, called by a forum of 10 central trade unions, has been organised to protest against the “pro-corporate policies” of the government. In view of the Bharat Bandh, the trade unions have been mobilising support across both organised and unorganised sectors.
According to Amarjeet Kaur of the All India Trade Union Congress, farmers and rural labourers are also expected to join the protest. The planned ‘Bharat bandh’ could lead to possible widespread disruptions of various services across the country.
In a statement, the forum has called for making “the nationwide general strike a grand success”. The forum said that it had submitted a list of demands to Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya last year. The strike comes as their concerns remain unaddressed. One of the major concerns of the workers has been the government’s focus on favouring employers in the name of ‘ease of doing business’.
What Are The Demands Of The Workers?
The workers are demanding that the government must take urgent steps to address unemployment. It sought to fill up all vacant sanctioned posts, creating more job opportunities, increasing MGNREGA work days and wage hikes.
The trade unions are also seeking an MGNREGA-like scheme for urban areas. They want the government to address the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme, which they alleged benefits employers rather than addressing workers’ needs.
What Services Will Be Impacted Due To Bharat Bandh?
As the workers from sectors such as banking, insurance, postal services, coal mining and highways and construction are participating in this bandh, the companies and business establishments in these fields are likely to be impacted the most. Harbhajan Singh Sidhu, a leader from Hind Mazdoor Sabha union, said that besides sectors like banking, postal and mining, factories and state transport services will also be impacted.
An association of bank employees on Monday said the banking sector will join the Bharat Bandh tomorrow. Bengal Provincial Bank Employees Association, affiliated to the All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), further said that the insurance sector will also join the strike.
In most states, banking services are expected to be disrupted due to the strike. Check with nearest bank branches in advance before visiting on Wednesday to avoid inconvenience.
On the other hand, schools and colleges are expected to function as usual as no official notification has been issued regarding their closure in any state.
No official bank holiday has been announced so far by banks and other government offices, but services are expected to be disrupted.
None of the states has issued any holiday notification for schools and colleges due to the Bharat Bandh tomorrow, and they are expected to remain open.
The story will be updated with more details as they follow
(With inputs from PTI)
