Trade unions' strike: Total shutdown in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala witnessed a near-total shutdown on Wednesday as a result of the 24-hour nationwide general strike called by trade unions to protest the Centre's "anti-labour" policies, which brought daily life to a standstill.

Shops, offices and schools remained shut, while public vehicles stayed off the roads, leaving the streets deserted in the state.

Cutting across cities, towns and villages, the CPI(M)-ruled southern state is experiencing a complete shutdown after the strike began Tuesday midnight.

Only private vehicles could be seen plying on the state roads, and several people were stranded in bus stands and railway stations in many places.

Police personnel came to their rescue in several areas and ferried them in official vehicles to their respective destinations, including hospitals.

Protesters, belonging to various trade unions, took out marches raising slogans against the union government across the state and stopped buses and autos that attempted to operate.

Agitators blocked the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses in Kochi and Kollam in the morning, leading to arguments with its staff.

In Kochi, bus employees said they belonged to the BJP's trade union BMS and they decided not to cooperate with the agitation.

However, the police didn't ensure them adequate support to complete the trip, they alleged.

A photo of a KSRTC driver driving the bus wearing a helmet, became viral on social media platforms.

The driver, Shibu, later said he did not take part in the protest and used the helmet out of fear of attack from protesters.

The Kollam-bound bus from Pathanamthitta driven by him, was also blocked by the protesters later.

Though some auto rickshaws could be seen plying along the roads in Thiruvananthapuram in the morning, they were also blocked by protesters.

Roads wore a deserted look as public vehicles kept off the streets, and workers across various sectors stayed away from their duties in solidarity.

However, essential services like healthcare, emergency services, and milk supply have been exempted from the strike to avoid public hardship.

The trade sector also came to a complete standstill as all shops, ranging from tiny wayside ones to supermarkets and shopping malls, downed their shutters.

The authorities have already invoked a dies-non for government employees to prevent them from taking leave on the agitation day. But the attendance in state-run offices and institutions was remarkably low, as the nationwide strike received strong support from trade unions and Left-leaning organisations in the CPI(M)-ruled state.

Meanwhile, senior CPI (M) leader and LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan justified the total shutdown in Kerala.

He said if anyone attempts to challenge protesters, it is natural for them to oppose it.

"The labourers have been campaigning for the agitation for the last five months... and if anyone challenges them, it may invite some reaction from them," he told reporters here.

While replying to a question regarding the protesters blocking people who came for jobs in some places, the leader asked, "Why did they come for jobs on the day of strike?"

Extending solidarity to the agitation, senior Marxist party leader and General Education Minister V Sivankutty walked to the party's district committee office here from his official residence.

TV channels aired the visuals of protesters threatening employees who came for work at the Civil Station in Mukkam in the northern Kozhikode district.

In southern Kollam, agitators blocked post office employees and prevented them from opening the gates of the head post office.

In many places, minor scuffles and heated exchange of words took place between police personnel and protesters.

Meanwhile, State Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar's efforts to keep the state-run buses operational during the nationwide agitation proved unsuccessful. Despite his hopes, the public buses could not hit the roads due to intense opposition from protesters.

Wherever the KSRTC staff, who were not part of that stir, tried to ply the buses, they had to cancel the trips midway due to protests.

Kumar had said that KSRTC buses would operate service on the agitation day, as the employees were unlikely to protest because they were happy.

Senior CPI (M) leader A K Balan on Wednesday strongly criticised the minister's remarks and made it clear that they didn't reflect the LDF government's policy.

The nationwide general strike has been called by the Joint Platform of Trade Unions, which comprises 10 central trade unions (CTUs) along with independent all-India sectoral federations and associations.