Bharat Bandh on 12 Feb 2026: What Will Stay Closed?

Bharat Bandh on 12 Feb 2026: What Will Stay Closed?

A nationwide Bharat Bandh has been called for Thursday, 12 February 2026 by a joint front of ten central trade unions (INTUC, AITUC, CITU, HMS, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC) together with several farmers’ organisations, including the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha. The strike has been formally announced as a protest against what the organisers describe as “anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti-people policies” of the central government.

The call has received support from the entire opposition spectrum in Parliament, including Congress, Samajwadi Party, TMC, DMK, RJD, AAP, Left parties and several regional outfits. Most opposition-ruled states have already indicated they will not enforce essential-services-maintenance orders against the bandh.

Official Reasons for the Bharat Bandh

The joint platform released a 17-point charter of demands on 3 February 2026. The core issues are:

• Rollback of four Labour Codes (Wage Code, Industrial Relations Code, Social Security Code, Occupational Safety Code)
• Legal guarantee of MSP at C2+50% for all crops with automatic procurement
• Withdrawal of “anti-farmer” provisions in the Electricity Amendment Bill 2022
• Immediate filling of 30 lakh central and state government vacancies
• Regularisation of scheme workers (Anganwadi, ASHA, Mid-Day Meal, etc.)
• Increase in minimum wages to ₹26,000 per month
• Pension for all unorganised workers under EPS-95 at ₹6,000 minimum
• Repeal of the four Labour Codes in their entirety
• Restoration of Old Pension Scheme for all government employees
• Scrap NPS and return to OPS
• Halt privatisation of PSUs and railways
• End contract labour system in government and PSUs
• ₹15,000 minimum monthly pension for all senior citizens
• ₹10,000 monthly unemployment allowance
• Universal social security for gig and platform workers
• Immediate withdrawal of Agnipath scheme
• End to forced digital transactions and Aadhaar linkage for welfare schemes

The trade unions and farmers’ bodies have stated that if the government does not respond positively by 10 February 2026, the bandh will be observed “fully and completely” on 12 February.

What Will Remain Closed on 12 February 2026?

The bandh call has received near-total support from trade unions, farmers’ organisations, most transport unions, construction workers’ bodies, street-vendor associations, small-shop owners’ federations and several state-level employee unions.

Expected to remain fully or largely closed:

• State-run and private-road transport buses (most state RTCs, private operators in Punjab, Haryana, UP, Bihar, MP, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, West Bengal)
• Auto-rickshaws, e-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws and taxi services (except airport & hospital emergency)
• Goods transport (truck & tempo movement expected to be severely hit on highways)
• Construction sites (almost total shutdown across urban & rural areas)
• Small retail shops, kirana stores, vegetable & fruit mandis (especially in smaller towns & rural areas)
• Street food vendors, tea stalls, dhabas on highways
• Coal mines, steel plants, cement plants, fertiliser plants (major public-sector units)
• Loading–unloading at railway goods sheds and ICDs
• Government offices (except emergency & essential services) in opposition-ruled states and many BJP-ruled districts where unions are strong
• Schools & colleges (majority expected to declare holiday; CBSE & state boards have not issued any advisory yet)
• Markets in rural & semi-urban areas (mandis, haats, weekly bazaars)

Expected to remain open (partial or full):

• Banks (RBI has declared normal banking hours; private banks will follow)
• ATMs and digital payment systems
• Hospitals, nursing homes, pharmacies, ambulances
• Airports (domestic & international flights operating normally)
• Railways (passenger trains running; goods trains may face delays)
• Metro services in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad (decision pending; likely to run with reduced frequency)
• Petrol pumps & CNG stations (most expected to remain open)
• Telecom services, internet, electricity supply
• Print & electronic media offices
• IT parks & software companies (most private-sector offices expected to remain open)
• Large organised retail (malls, supermarkets, Reliance Retail, DMart, Big Bazaar) in urban areas

State-wise Impact Assessment

• Punjab, Haryana, UP (Western): Near-total bandh expected in rural & semi-urban areas; highways likely to see blockades
• Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha: Strong support from trade unions & farmers; transport & markets expected to be shut
• West Bengal: TMC has extended moral support; state transport & markets likely to be affected
• Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh: Mixed impact; rural areas strong bandh, urban centres partial
• Delhi-NCR: Metro & essential services open; markets & small shops likely closed
• South India (TN, Karnataka, Andhra, Telangana): Partial impact; trade unions strong but farmers’ support limited
• North-East & Himalayan states: Low to moderate impact

Government & Opposition Positions

The central government has termed the bandh “politically motivated” and urged essential services to remain functional. Union Labour Minister Bhupender Yadav stated: “We have already held 48 rounds of tripartite talks on Labour Codes. The codes are in public interest.”

Opposition leaders have extended full support:

• Rahul Gandhi: “Farmers and workers are fighting for their survival. Congress stands with them.”
• Sharad Pawar: “The government must listen before it is too late.”
• Mamata Banerjee: “Bengal will observe the bandh in solidarity.”
• Akhilesh Yadav: “SP workers will support the bandh fully.”

Conclusion

The Bharat Bandh called for 12 February 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most widespread industrial actions in recent years. With near-total backing from central trade unions, farmers’ bodies, transport unions and street-vendor associations, large parts of rural and semi-urban India—especially in the northern and eastern belts—are expected to observe a near-complete shutdown.

While essential services, digital payments, hospitals, airports and railways will continue, the bandh is likely to severely disrupt road transport, construction, small retail, mandis and government offices in many districts. The real test will be the scale of participation in states ruled by the NDA and the extent to which normal life is affected in major metros.

Whatever the final turnout, the 12 February bandh has already achieved one objective: it has brought the long-pending demands of workers and farmers back into national headlines just months before several state elections and a year ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.