“Will the Government Listen?” Rahul Gandhi Backs Nationwide Strike as 30 Crore Workers Join Protest Against Labour Codes and Trade Deal

New Delhi: A nationwide wave of protests swept across hundreds of districts on Thursday as central trade unions, farmer groups and allied organisations staged demonstrations against the Union government’s labour and economic policies. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi publicly expressed solidarity with the agitators, stating that he “stands firmly with the struggles of workers and farmers.”

In a message posted on social media platform X, Gandhi said that lakhs of labourers and farmers had taken to the streets to defend their rights. “Workers believe the four labour codes will dilute their protections. Farmers feel the trade agreement could damage their livelihoods,” he wrote.

He also cautioned against any move to weaken the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), describing it as a crucial safety net for rural India. “If MNREGA is weakened, villages may lose their last line of support. When decisions were taken about their future, their voices were ignored,” Gandhi said, adding, “Will the Prime Minister listen now?”

The protests were coordinated by a joint platform of ten central trade unions, including AITUC and CITU, which claimed participation from nearly 30 crore workers nationwide. Demonstrations were reported across approximately 600 districts.

Farmer groups under the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) banner termed the interim India–US trade framework a “serious threat” to agriculture, dairy and rural livelihoods. They argued that the proposed arrangement contradicts earlier assurances that agriculture would remain protected in trade negotiations. Concerns were also raised over tariff disparities and recent Free Trade Agreements with countries such as New Zealand, the EU and the UK.

In Tamil Nadu, banking operations, public services and parts of the transport sector witnessed disruptions as unions joined the strike. The DMK’s trade union wing extended support, while student bodies and the Joint Kisan Morcha added momentum to the agitation.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also declared its backing for the Bharat Bandh, urging citizens to participate peacefully. The party stated that the protest transcends political lines and represents a broader fight for “justice, dignity and rights of working people.”

Protesters are demanding withdrawal of the four labour codes, reconsideration of amendments to the Electricity Act, a five-day work week for bank employees, halting privatisation of public sector units and safeguarding rural employment guarantees.