New Delhi, February 12 The Left parties said the general strike on Thursday expressed the "clear and strong" voice of workers against the four Labour Codes and other government policies.
A nationwide strike was called by central trade unions, backed by employees' federations and farmers' bodies, to protest against the notification and implementation of the Labour Codes, privatization measures, and other economic reforms.
Demonstrations, rallies, and work stoppages were reported from several states, with the participation of industrial workers, bank employees, public sector staff, and agricultural workers, according to union leaders.
In a statement, the CPI(M) congratulated the working class on the "successful general strike".
"Farmers and agricultural workers joined the working class in protesting against the notification of the four Labour Codes, the near-repeal of the rights-based Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, along with other anti-worker, anti-farmer, and anti-people policies of the BJP-led Union government," the CPI(M) said.
"The working class made its voice heard loud and clear. The CPI(M) reaffirms its solidarity with the workers, farmers, and agricultural workers who are protesting the various anti-people policies of the BJP government," it said.
The Left party said the government should immediately revoke the notification of the four Labour Codes and "ensure that the hard-won rights of workers are protected".
It also demanded that the government revoke the Viksit Bharat -- Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, withdraw the proposal for privatization of electricity distribution, and withdraw the Seed Bill.
It further said that the government should withdraw from the various free trade agreements and trade deals it has signed, particularly with the US and Europe, stating that these were detrimental to the interests of Indian workers, farmers, and the general public.
CPI(ML) Liberation General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, in a post on X, extended support to the strike.
"From the streets to Parliament campus, workers and farmers, men and women in India sent out a loud message of protest against the four Labour Codes of slavery, the denial of rural employment guarantee, and the mortgaging of Indian agriculture to the US farm lobby," he said.
