1 month of game zone fire: Shops, educational institutes in Rajkot observe bandh
Rajkot (PTI): Main markets in Gujarat's Rajkot city wore a deserted look and various other establishments remained closed on Tuesday as a bandh was observed to mark one month of the fire tragedy at a game zone which claimed 27 lives.
Schools, colleges, tuition centres, gold and jewellery markets and other commercial establishments also remained shut to support the 'Rajkot bandh' called by the opposition Congress.
Several commercial associations supported the Congress' bandh call by announcing closure of their businesses for the day.
Police personnel were deployed at different places in the city and patrolling was intensified as part of the security arrangements to avoid any untoward incident.
Congress MLA Jignesh Mevani, state party president Shaktisinh Gohil and other local leaders came out in different areas of Rajkot to thank businessmen for their support in making the bandh "successful".
The Congress gave the call for a half-day bandh on Tuesday, to remember those who lost their lives in the fire tragedy at the TRP game zone in Rajkot on May 25 and to demand a higher compensation to the kin of the deceased.
It has also demanded justice to the families of the deceased and a fair probe into the incident by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the state government.
Family members of the victims had also appealed for the bandh. Relatives of some of the fire tragedy victims interacted with Congress MP Rahul Gandhi through video conference on June 22.
Twenty seven persons, including children, were charred to death in the massive fire which gutted the game zone on May 25.
Following the incident, the state government formed the SIT under Additional Director General of Police Subhash Trivedi to find out the causes of fire, loopholes in the system and to suggest steps to be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
As many as 15 persons have been arrested so far in connection with the fire tragedy, including five owners of the game zone and some senior officials from the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC).
A police investigation indicated the game zone was running without a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the RMC's fire department.
On June 15, Congress workers organised a protest gathering outside the city police commissioner's office.
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Bharat Bandh today: Nationwide strike disrupts services as over 25 cr workers protest govt policies
New Delhi: A nationwide strike or Bharat Bandh called by ten central trade unions is underway today, with over 25 crore workers from both organised and unorganised sectors participating. The strike, which is also supported by several rural and agricultural labour organisations, is a protest against the central government’s economic and labour policies, which unions claim favour corporates at the cost of workers, farmers, and the poor.
Key demands of protesters:
► Withdrawal of the new labour codes,
► Increase in minimum wages,
► Creation of more government jobs,
► Hike in MGNREGA wages and workdays,
► A similar urban employment guarantee scheme,
► End to hiring retired officials over younger professionals in government departments.
A 17-point charter of demands has been submitted to the Union Labour Ministry, but union leaders allege no meaningful engagement has been initiated by the government so far.
Disruptions reported:
While banks, stock markets, and government offices are functioning as usual, disruptions are being reported in public transport across several states:
West Bengal: Protesters blocked railway tracks at Jadavpur railway station despite police deployment. Bus services continued amid high security, with some drivers seen wearing helmets as a safety measure.
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and parts of Delhi and Maharashtra reported sporadic disruptions in bus and train services.
Schools and colleges remain open in most places, though some institutions announced last-minute closures depending on local conditions.
Unions leading the strike:
The strike is being spearheaded by major trade unions including: INTUC, AITUC, CITU, HMS, SEWA, AIUTUC, AICCTU, LPF, UTUC, and TUCC.
The new labour laws, a major flashpoint, have drawn flak for allegedly weakening worker protections. Union leaders say the changes:
► Extend working hours,
► Restrict the right to strike,
► Undermine collective bargaining.
The unions have also criticised the trend of hiring retired officials instead of young jobseekers. With 65% of India's population under the age of 35, they argue that ignoring youth employment in sectors like Railways, steel, and education is both unjust and economically damaging.
This is not the first large-scale strike organised by the trade unions. Similar nationwide protests were held on:
November 26, 2020,
March 28–29, 2022,
February 16, 2024.
All of them focused on issues like the privatisation of PSUs, job insecurity, and the casualisation of the workforce.
