Sharad Rao's call for 'bandh' on Feb 20-21 adds to HSC students' stress

Students appearing for their Class XII board examinations have one more reason to sweat with union leader Sharad Rao calling for a two-day ‘bandh' on February 20-21. February 21 is the first day of the HSC theory exams and Rao's assertion that not just auto-rickshaws, but even BEST unions would participate in the strike is sure to leave students worried.

The union leader has claimed that all the essential services including railway, bus, auto, taxi, water, shops and hawkers will be shut for two days.

Making this announcement at a press conference in Mumbai on Wednesday, Rao claimed that almost 20 lakh workers from Mumbai and 1 crore from Maharashtra were going to take part in the bandh.

Union leader Sharad Rao. File Pic

Speaking to the media about the unions' demands, Sharad Rao said, "Enforcing minimum wage of Rs 10,000, strict enforcement of labour laws, recognition of trade unions in all establishments, same wage for contract workers, implementing policy on hawkers, effective steps to control inflation are basic demands which we want to be fulfilled without delay."

He added, "Before deciding on the bandh, we have had considerable meetings with the unions and employees of municipal corporations, BEST and State Transport, autorickshaw and taximen, hawkers, retail and wholesalers."

He also claimed that because they have ample presence in aviation and railway unions these two modes of transport would also come to a standstill.

He said, "Our worker will lay down on railway tracks and do the Satyagraha."

Meanwhile, railway officials have claimed that nobody would be allowed to take law into their own hands.