Bharat Bandh: No impact in Puttur, Minimal Impact in Bengaluru

Bengaluru, July 10, 2025: So, the big Bharat Bandh? Yeah, barely even a speed bump for folks in Puttur—business as usual. Bengaluru didn’t lose much sleep over it either. Sure, around 5,000 people showed up at Freedom Park waving banners and making noise, but honestly? Buses kept rolling, schools didn’t shut, shops stayed open. If you weren’t glued to the news, you might’ve missed it happened at all.

Bengaluru’s Daily Life Unscathed as BMTC, KSRTC Operate Normally

In, Bengaluru, The Joint Committee of Trade Unions (JCTU), representing over 25 crore workers, led the bandh to demand the rollback of the four labour codes, permanent jobs for contract workers, a minimum wage of ₹31,566 for unskilled workers, and the scrapping of three new criminal laws: the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA). The protesters also condemned the state government’s land acquisition plans in 13 villages around Devanahalli for industrial purposes, accusing it of favoring corporates over farmers.
The unions wanted to kick things off with a march from the city corporation office all the way to Freedom Park, but—surprise—cops weren’t having it. So, everyone just got funneled into the park instead. Imagine a sea of red flags and banners, seriously, it was like a festival but with way more yelling. You had all the big union names—CITU, AITUC, INTUC, HMS, AIUTUC, and a bunch of others—plus a wild mix of folks: workers, farmers, ASHA workers, even the mid-day meal squad. Everybody showed up. The crowd was fired up, shouting for equal pay for contract workers, bringing back folks who got the boot, and scrapping the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, along with that Major Port Authorities Act from 2021. Basically, the usual suspects, but the energy? Absolutely electric.
Despite the scale of the protest, Bengaluru’s lifeline—public transport—remained unaffected. The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) operated their full schedules without delays or cancellations, ensuring commuters faced no inconvenience. “BMTC and KSRTC buses are plying as usual, with no changes in frequency or timings,” confirmed a senior transport official. 

Bengaluru Traffic Police had issued an advisory 

Bengaluru Traffic Police basically said, “Hey, it might get wild near Freedom Park, maybe try a different road?” but honestly, it was pretty chill. No massive pile-ups or anything. Schools, colleges, all the government offices? Business as usual—Karnataka didn’t bother with a holiday. Hospitals and cops were just doing their thing, zero drama. Banking and post offices had a bit of bandh fever, but nothing that messed up anyone’s day, at least not in Bengaluru. Tech companies and private offices—the backbone of the city, really—kept rolling. Some folks got lucky with a work-from-home day, just in case. But yeah, city life basically shrugged and carried on.
Labour Minister Santosh Lad, expected to receive a memorandum from the protesters, did not attend, drawing criticism from union leaders.Union leaders were not impressed. “The minister’s absence shows a lack of respect for workers’ demands,” snapped Varalakshmi, the CITU state president. Instead, the Labour Commissioner H.N. Gopalakrishna and Additional Commissioner Umesh had to step in and collect the list. Thirty-seven demands, by the way—everything from stopping the privatization of the mid-day meal scheme to making sure women aren’t shoved into dangerous jobs. 
The bandh also highlighted concerns over farmer displacement, with protesters condemning the state government’s actions in Devanahalli. “The govt is using police to suppress peaceful farmer protests while prioritizing industrialists’ interests,” said a JCTU representative. Though the bandh failed to disrupt Bengaluru’s daily rhythm, it underscored deep-seated grievances among workers and farmers, signaling continued unrest unless their demands are addressed. 
Keywords: Bharat Bandh 2025, Bengaluru, Freedom Park, BMTC, KSRTC, trade unions, anti-labour policies, anti-farmer policies, labour codes, minimum wage, privatization, Karnataka, JCTU, CITU, traffic advisory, peaceful protest,