Bharat Bandh: Two-day trade union strike turns violent in Noida, UP; 14 arrested

PAC and RAF has been deployed in the area, the ADG said adding that there was no untoward incident elsewhere in the state.

Meanwhile, the strike call received good response in the state with employees of various government departments and banks holding protest meetings and marches in support of their demands.

With the roadways employees joining the stir, pilgrims at the ongoing Maha Kumbh mela faced a tough time .

Though the government had made alternative arrangements, they were not enough to clear the rush.

In Punjab and Haryana, the impact of the strike was felt on public transport services as a majority of state-owned buses plying on inter-state routes remained off the roads.

Services in public sector banks have been hit with both bank employees and officers taking part in the two-day strike in protest against banking reforms and outsourcing etc.

These trade unions have put forward a charter of ten demands before the government such as urgent steps to control price rise, strict enforcement of labour laws in all places of work, social security net for workers in the unorganised sector, end to disinvestment in PSUs and raising minimum wage to Rs 10,000 a month.

The two-day nationwide strike called by trade unions in support of their demands evoked a good response in Uttar Pradesh. Roadways buses remained off roads and bank branches were closed in support of the strike call, adversely affecting normal life since morning. Reports from different parts of the state said employees of various government departments and banks assembled at their respective offices and held protest meetings raising slogans in support of their demands.

The state government had made alternative arrangements like private buses, but these were not enough to clear the office rush and people had to depend either on private vehicles or autorickshaws to reach their destinations.

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