Hyderabad: General strike may affect normal life

Hyderabad: State government employees, trade and student unions will join the nationwide general strike on Wednesday against the “anti-worker” labour reforms of the Centre. The strikers are demanding that the Centre and the state government reverse their “anti-people” economic policies and to save educational institutions.

Transactions will be affected banks. Banking staff unions have extended their support to the strike but will not be participating in it, said Mr P. Venkataramaiah from the Banking Employees Fede-ration.

Auto and taxi drivers unions are supporting the strike, and vehicles are likely to be off the roads. No holiday has been dec-lared for schools but private schools have asked students not to come if they do not find transport, said Mr Shabbir Ali the from Private Teachers Association.

The government teachers association has expressed solidarity with the strike.

Student unions have declared their support and said that classes would be boycotted for the day. Mr Tirupathi from United Student Federation of India said, “There have been several anti-educational policies, there are proposals to merge the University Grants Commission with the Union ministry of human resource development which will onl results in the politicisation of education. We also condemn the attacks on educational institutions and failure to protect the students.” Mr Sathi Reddy from Autos JAC said that they wanted the government to set up a welfare board for autorickshaw drivers. He asked the government to give Rs 10,000 to every driver as the insurance amount had been increased. Mr Sathi Reddy said the AP government was giving drivers Rs 10,000.