Strike among largest in Independent India, says SKM; AIKS calls it 'historic success'

The SKM said anger among the working people against anti-national FTAs, the VB-G RAM G Act, the Electricity Bill and the Seed Bill was reflected in the mass protests, and warned that if the government did not reverse its policies, there would be more intensified, continuous, united pan-India struggles. As far as the farmers are concerned, there was much more effective and widespread coordination than ever before in the mass protest demonstrations across the country...

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Thursday termed the nationwide General Strike against the four labour codes and other policies of the Centre as one of the largest in independent India, claiming it cemented worker-peasant unity across the country. In a statement, the SKM said the strike was ''one of the largest ever General Strikes in the history of Independent India'' and had strengthened ''worker-peasant unity as the backbone of the mass resistance against corporate policies.'' Congratulating the Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions, the SKM said, ''Today's strike action has helped to fill confidence among all sections of the people and encouraged them to stand up and fight against all injustices and exploitative, corporate-driven policies.'' The February 12 strike was called by central trade unions and supported by farmer organisations, employees' federations and sectoral unions to protest against the implementation of the four labour codes and other economic measures. Trade unions claimed that sectors such as coal, electricity, banking, insurance, ports, transport and manufacturing were affected in several states, with demonstrations reported from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and the National Capital Region, among others. The SKM said anger among the working people against ''anti-national FTAs, the VB-G RAM G Act, the Electricity Bill and the Seed Bill'' was reflected in the mass protests, and warned that if the government did not reverse its policies, there would be ''more intensified, continuous, united pan-India struggles.'' ''As far as the farmers are concerned, there was much more effective and widespread coordination than ever before in the mass protest demonstrations across the country... The large-scale participation of women and rural workers reflected the anger against the repeal of MGNREGA and exploitation of scheme workers, denying them basic minimum wage and not granting them the status of workers,'' the SKM said. It said the National Council meeting of the SKM scheduled on February 24, 2026 at Kurukshetra, Haryana will consider concrete plan of the next phase of action independently as well as in unity with the platforms and unions of workers, and agricultural workers, among others. The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), in a separate statement, described the strike as a ''historic success'' and said protests were held at more than 2,000 places across the country. ''The anger of working people against the anti-people policies of the RSS-BJP-led Union government was visible across all regions and sectors of the country,'' the AIKS said, adding that participation was strong in both organised and unorganised sectors. It further said the General Strike is a ''warning to the ruling dispensation''. ''Withdraw the slew of anti-people Bills and Acts and restore the pro-worker and pro-farmer policies. If the Modi government fails to respond adequately to the demands of the toilers of the country, it will be inviting a much longer general strike in the coming days,'' it said.

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