Srinagar, July 8: J&K Awami National Conference Senior Vice President Muzaffar Shah, on Tuesday extended strong support to the Bharat Bandh scheduled for July 9, stating that the protest is a powerful expression of public anger against the “anti-people, anti-worker, and pro-corporate” policies of the present government.
Calling the strike a “nationwide cry for justice,” Shah said that the issues being raised by over 25 crore protesting workers, farmers, and rural labourers are not isolated but widely felt — including in Jammu and Kashmir, where people continue to suffer under the weight of economic neglect, shrinking job opportunities, and centralised decision-making that excludes public participation.
“The Bharat Bandh is not just a protest of trade unions; it is a reflection of the deepening crisis in our socio-economic fabric. The very same hardships — unemployment, price rise, weakening of public services, and systematic disempowerment — are being faced by the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Muzaffar Shah said in a statement.
He further criticised the government’s push towards aggressive privatisation, erosion of labour protections, and its refusal to engage in meaningful dialogue.
“The 17-point charter of demands raised by the unions is not only justified but urgent. The refusal to convene even the annual labour conference for over a decade exposes the government’s apathy toward workers and marginalised communities,” he added.
Shah emphasised that the people of Jammu and Kashmir, too, are grappling with the consequences of policies that centralise power while ignoring ground realities.
“From casualisation of jobs to the dismantling of local institutions, the people here are witnessing the same model of governance that prioritises corporations over citizens,” he said.
Urging the government to listen to the voice of the people rather than dismiss their concerns, Shah called for peaceful observance of the Bandh and expressed full solidarity with the nationwide protest.
“This is not just a strike — it is a moral resistance. And the people of Jammu and Kashmir stand united with the rest of the country in demanding accountability, justice, and a government that listens,” he said.
