The nationwide Bharat Bandh being held on Thursday to protest the 'anti-farmer' and 'anti-worker' policies of the central government paralysed road transport and forced shops to close in Kerala, severely hitting the common people. The impact of the strike was visible on the streets as protesters in several districts blocked vehicles. Th
The strike was called by various labour organisations against the withdrawal of anti-labour codes and to seek the restoration of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. The United Farmers' Front, farmer labour organisations and various political parties, including the CPM and CPI, have announced support for the strike.
KSRTC and private buses, auto-rickshaws, and taxis remained off the road, with some areas seeing a total blockade on private vehicles. "CITU workers blocked the roads and wouldn't even let private cars pass; I couldn't get to work," said Lija Joy, a daily wage worker in Kochi. Despite these localised disruptions, the general atmosphere in Kochi remained calm. While shops were shuttered and transit was paralysed, some restaurants stayed open, and the Kochi Metro continued to operate.
VIDEO | Kerala: Shops in Malappuram pulled down their shutters in support of the nation-wide Bharat Bandh against 'anti-worker labour policies and anti-farmer economic decisions'.
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7 pic.twitter.com/dFBFhvPsJA
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 12, 2026
However, the situation in Wayanad was a bit tense. The strike supporters engaged in an altercation with a lorry driver and reportedly hurled abuse at him after he refused to stop the vehicle. Despite the police presence in the area, the protesters refused to let the lorry go.
VIDEO | Kerala: Visuals from Wayanad as a nationwide Bharat Bandh (general strike) of trade unions, farmers against 'anti-worker labour policies and anti-farmer economic decisions' is being observed today.
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/r0zjjyL1nk
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 12, 2026
Protesters at the KSRTC Thampanoor depot stopped a KSRTC bus on arrival at Thiruvanathapuram, while depots in Palakkad and Chittur were ordered to suspend operations for the duration of the strike. The station is currently seeing only long-distance services that were already en route before the midnight shutdown.
VIDEO | Tamil Nadu: CITU workers protest in Thoothukudi as part of nation-wide Bharat bandh, urge govt to withdraw PPP pipeline project across central infrastructure ministries and States/Union Territories.
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/HjSXLAqSt0
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 12, 2026
As part of the nationwide Bharat bandh, CITU workers protested in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, and urged the government to withdraw PPP pipeline project across central infrastructure ministries and States/Union Territories. |
