Bolangir: Normal life was disrupted, offices remained closed and vehicular traffic came to a grinding halt on the first day of two-day countrywide bandh called by various trade unions, Monday.
The bandh call given by joint forum of trade unions and led by Congress against the anti-people policies of the state and Union governments had its wide ramifications here with all the government and private establishments, courts, insurance, post offices remaining closed and vehicles staying off the roads in the district headquarters town of Bolangir.
Members of various trade unions were seen staging a sit-in outside the district Collectorate. Tension prevailed as ASHA workers barged inside the Bolangir Municipality office and ransacked the premises when they found the office open and employees attending to their duties. The ASHA workers were led by their district coordinator-cum-secretary Saswati Dash and president Sanju Bag.
The agitating ASHA workers vacated the office and gave away slogans against the EO after police intervened.
The agitators alleged that the economic condition of the country has deteriorated while the workers have become a harassed lot. They also protested against the privatisation of government and national enterprises, price hike of petroleum products and essentials like food products, power and medicines.
They demanded fulfillment of 12-point charter of demands like abolition of newly-formed labour code, demand for minimum wages of Rs 26,000, worker status to Anganwadi workers, cooks and ASHA, reduction in excise duty on petroleum products, taxing the rich, all assistance to Corona warriors and other demands.