The fall of the Bharat bandh: From national standstill to symbolic protest

Once powerful enough to grind India to a halt, Bharat Bandhs are now a faint echo of their past.

Transcript

00:00That is a bus driver from Kerala wearing a helmet to protect himself and a few more

00:07from West Bengal. What they're adorning this protection for is the supposed Bharat

00:11Bandh on 9 July 2025. However, if you stepped out this morning, you may not have even noticed.

00:17Shops are open, trains are running, offices buzzing, business as usual.

00:21But it wasn't always like this. Once upon a time, a Bharat Bandh could bring India to a halt.

00:26Trains stopped, schools shut, markets deserted. It was the loudest form of protest.

00:31In the 70s and 80s, Bandh meant real disruption. In 1974, George Fernandes led a railway strike.

00:371.7 million workers walked off. In 2010, a nationwide Bandh against the fuel price rise

00:43caused an estimated loss of 13,000 crore rupees. Streets were empty, flights were cancelled,

00:48even judges had to reschedule hearings. It worked. And in 2015, in Patna, High Court Judge Rakesh Kumar

00:55was delayed twice by Bandh supporters who blocked his vehicle. The High Court had to step in.

01:00But fast forward to today. The picture has changed. In August 2024, a nationwide strike led by trade

01:06unions barely registered in Bengaluru, Mumbai or Hyderabad. Schools ran, offices stayed open,

01:12cab services didn't flinch. In July 2025, Kolkata saw some bank closures, but roads and metros ran.

01:19Why? Several reasons. 1. Authorities act faster. Courts often declare Bandh illegal. 2. Urban India

01:26moves on. 3. Digital life keeps running. Work from home, UPI and online orders don't stop.

01:32According to various media coverages, Bandhs now see only localized disruption in parts of Jharkhand,

01:37Bengal and Orissa. That too is brief. The bottom line is, Bharat Bandhs are symbolic,

01:42but the days when they froze the nation, long gone.