Thousands protest in Uttar Pradesh against labor and agricultural policies

In a significant show of dissent, thousands of farmers and workers across Uttar Pradesh took to the streets on Wednesday to protest against the government’s labor and agricultural policies. The demonstrations, organized under the banner of several central labor unions, demanded the repeal of the four labor codes and the restoration of older labor laws, along with a slew of other measures aimed at improving the conditions of workers and farmers.

Protesters blocked roads and staged sit-ins in districts including Gautam Buddha Nagar, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, and Gorakhpur, among others. According to organizers, over three lakh people participated in the state-wide agitation. Key demands included setting a minimum wage of ₹42,000, limiting work hours to eight per day, guaranteeing minimum support prices (MSP) for crops at C2+50%, scrapping free-trade agreements with the US, and halting the privatization of power distribution companies in Uttar Pradesh.

In Lucknow, workers and farmers gathered at Parivartan Chowk and marched towards the Raj Bhavan, but were stopped by police near KD Singh Babu Stadium, where a public meeting was held. Leaders from various unions, including Chandra Shekhar of AITUC, H.N. Tiwari of INTUC, and Uma Shankar Mishra of HMS, addressed the crowd, criticizing the government’s alleged pro-corporate stance. A five-member delegation later submitted a memorandum of demands to the Governor’s office.

The protests also saw participation from electricity workers, who voiced their opposition to the privatization of power distribution. Shailendra Dubey, convenor of the Uttar Pradesh Power Employees Joint Struggle Committee, declared that electricity workers nationwide were united against privatization, with Haryana’s power employees set to begin a 72-hour strike at midnight.

The demonstrations underscore growing discontent among workers and farmers over policies perceived to favor corporate interests. Organizers vowed to continue their struggle until their demands are met, signaling potential for further unrest in the coming days.