Odisha bears brunt of trade union strike

The Congress and Left parties, which extended support to the strike, staged demonstrations in different places of the State.
A protestor carries a flag in support of nationwide strike called by the trade unions in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday. (Photo | Biswanath Swain, EPS)
A protestor carries a flag in support of nationwide strike called by the trade unions in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday. (Photo | Biswanath Swain, EPS)

BHUBANESWAR: Normal life was disrupted across Odisha on Wednesday due to nationwide strike called by 10 Central trade unions (TUs) to protest inflation, growing unemployment and “anti-people policies” of the Central Government.

Major commercial establishments downed shutters and transport and communication were disrupted. Educational institutions remained closed in most of the districts while examinations were postponed by some institutions, including Utkal University.

The bandh also affected JEE Main 2020 with many JEE aspirants reaching examination centres much before the scheduled time to avoid inconvenience.

Government offices in the Capital functioned as usual with employees reaching early. Some ministers were seen riding pillion to Lok Seva Bhawan, the gates of which were closed for outsiders at 10.15 am for security reasons.

Banking services were affected as members of Bank Employees’ Associations joined the protest opposing privatisation, merger of banks and delay in recovery of bad loans in corporate sector.

Train passengers remained stranded at different stations as 17 trains were detained at several places as bandh activists staged demonstration on railway tracks. Services were later resumed.

Cuttack-Bhadrak-Cuttack passenger, Bhubaneswar-Berhampur-Bhubaneswar passenger and Paradip-Cuttack-Paradip passenger were cancelled on Wednesday leading to late running of link trains.

The Congress and Left parties, which extended support to the strike, staged demonstrations in different places of the State. In Bhubaneswar, commuters bore the brunt of the shutdown as buses at Baramunda bus stand remained off the road.

Air passengers were stranded for a few hours at Biju Patnaik International Airport. Tourists from outside the State also suffered due to the protest.

The ruling Biju Janata Dal, however, distanced itself from the strike. The Commissionerate Police deployed around 15 platoon police force to maintain law and order in Bhubaneswar.

Around 500 agitators, including CITU president Janardan Pati and OPCC chief Niranjan Patnaik, were taken into preventive custody.

DCP Anup Sahu said the bandh remained peaceful and no vandalism has been reported from anywhere so far. Essential services also remained unaffected, he added.

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