A nationwide Bharat Bandh has been called on Wednesday, July 9, by a joint platform of 10 central trade unions, backed by farmers’ groups. The organisers say the strike is a response to the Union government’s “pro-corporate” reforms, which they argue have eroded worker protections, neglected farmers and deepened inequality. The bandh is expected to disrupt public services in multiple sectors, with over 25 crore workers from formal and informal sectors likely to join. Protests are expected across industrial hubs, rural areas and state capitals with many essential services bracing for possible impact.