NEW DELHI: Millions of workers across India went on strike on Wednesday in protest at Narendra Modi’s economic policies, the biggest show of strength by trade unions since the right-wing prime minister took office.

They say labour law reforms planned by Modi’s government will put jobs at risk, and are demanding it scrap changes that would make it easier to lay off workers and shut down unproductive factories.

All India Trade Union Congress secretary Gurudas Dasgupta said the response had been “magnificent” and estimated over 150 million workers participated in the strike, although this could not be independently confirmed.

The strike — the biggest in India for more than two years — included staff at state-run banks and mines as well as factory, construction and transport workers.

“This strike is a reminder to the government that it must consult the millions of employees (affected) before changing the labour laws,” striking bank worker Amit Khanna said in New Delhi.

Most cities remained peaceful, but clashes between police and activists broke out in the eastern state of West Bengal, which has a long history of union activism.

Television footage showed police baton-charge protesters in state capital Kolkata and drag away women strikers who had staged a sit-in, while protesters threw stones and smashed vehicles.

Banks, shops and other businesses remained closed in the city, stranding commuters and travellers at the main station, while dozens of flag-waving protesters halted suburban trains.

In New Delhi, long queues formed at bus stops early Wednesday, while passengers were stranded at airports as taxis and rickshaws stayed off the streets.

Some protesters forced autorickshaw and taxi drivers off the roads and vandalised their vehicles.

“I told them (strikers) that I am going to the hospital, but these people said ‘there’s a strike today’ and beat me up,” an autorickshaw driver in New Delhi told TV reporters as he stood in front of his damaged yellow and green vehicle.—AFP

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2015

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