Feb 12 Bharat Bandh: Things to know about essential services available & disruptions in sectors

Central Trade Unions have called for a nationwide strike against the Union Government on February 12, which is expected to bring the state to a standstill. Here is a list of services available and potential disruptions to expect on the day of the strike.

Services that would be available

• During the strike, medical services, including hospitals and pharmacies, will continue to operate as usual.
• Fire and rescue services and ambulances have been exempted from the strike, making emergency responders available during the 24-hour Bandh window
• Essential daily services such as milk supply and newspapers have also been exempted from the strike and will operate as usual on Thursday
• Joint trade unions have announced that Sabarimala pilgrims and the Maramon Convention are exempted from the agitation. Therefore, Kozhencherry and Thottappuzhassery panchayats in Pathanamthitta district will not be affected by the strike

Services that would not be available

• Industrial, agricultural, and commercial sectors will be suspended for 24 hours as part of the bandh
• State government employees, teachers’ associations, and unions in banking, insurance, defence, railways, ports, and the navy have decided to join the protest. Hence, government offices, schools and bank operations are likely to be affected
• Street vendors, press employees, scheme workers, headload workers, and gig workers will also observe the strike, temporarily suspending these services
• Disruptions to public transport are expected as workers across sectors participate in the strike. KSRTC services may also be impacted by the Left-backed union's participation in the strike. However, the BJP-backed NGO Sangh will not participate in the bandh
• Trade union representatives said the strike would impact the IT sector, small-scale industries, the private sector, plantations, electricity services, and container freight stations

Who has called the strike?
The protest was called through a joint statement issued by 10 central trade unions and sectoral federations, with support from Samyukt Kisan Morcha, agricultural labour organisations, CPM, CPI, and several other political parties. This includes INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC.

Why the strike?
Central Trade Unions called for a general strike on February 12 to protest the Labour Codes implemented in November 2025 and what the trade unions described as the "multi-pronged attack" by the centre on people's rights and entitlements.

CITU General Secretary Elamaram Kareem, speaking at a press conference, said that the BJP-led government has so far refused to discuss the workers' demands. He pointed out that, since coming to power, the Prime Minister has not been willing to convene the Indian Labour Conference or discuss the issues traditionally addressed. He added that the lack of adequate consideration for the Central Labour Organisation is a matter of protest. He cautioned that denying trade unions a platform could lead to nationwide chaos.

In the statement, the unions warned that the government's continued pursuit of notifying Rules under the Labour Codes and its failure to repeal the Codes would lead to further action, including a multi-day General Strike, as well as sectoral resistance.