Bhopal, February 12 The nationwide strike called by trade unions against the Centre's policies on Thursday triggered protests in several districts of Madhya Pradesh, while over 25,000 civilian employees working with defence establishments across the state reported to work an hour late.
The day-long strike is being observed to protest against what the unions described as anti-worker, anti-farmer, and anti-national policies that favor corporations, according to the central government.
Markets, schools, and colleges remained open across the state.
Over 25,000 civilian workers employed at six ordnance factories in Madhya Pradesh, the 506 Army Base Workshop, the Central Ordnance Depot, and Military Engineer Services reported to work an hour late as a sign of protest, said S N Pathak, president of All-India Defence Employees Federation.
"We could not observe a complete day-long strike because defence production and related work fall under the essential services category," he said.
Instead of starting work at 8 am, the workers started at 9 am, Pathak added.
Workers affiliated with various unions were seen protesting and raising anti-government slogans in some areas across Madhya Pradesh.
In the press complex here, workers protested and chanted anti-government slogans. Employees of nationalized banks, the Income Tax Department, those from the insurance sector, and others participated in the protest, said Centre of India Trade Unions MP general secretary Pramod Pradhan.
In the morning, workers protested at the gate of state-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited in Bhopal, he said.
"We are going to protest throughout the day. The protest by Anganwadi workers will begin near the Bhopal collectorate at 1:30 am," he added.
In Jabalpur, workers have begun gathering in the Civic Centre area for a protest rally.
The joint forum of central trade unions that has called for the strike claims that around 30 crore workers have been mobilized for the agitation.
Their immediate demands include the scrapping of four labour codes and rules, the withdrawal of the Draft Seed Bill and Electricity Amendment Bill, and the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act.
The unions are also demanding the restoration of MGNREGA and the scrapping of the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025. The joint forum includes INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC.
