The call has drawn support from farmers' groups and political parties, including the Congress in Odisha.

The strike, led by central trade unions, is aimed at opposing privatisation, contractualisation, the four labour codes, proposed changes to MGNREGA, the Electricity Amendment Bill 2025, and the proposed Seed Bill. Large-scale participation from farmers, agricultural workers and industrial unions is expected at protest sites across India.

Farmers' groups join hands with trade unions

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) has announced its full support for the nationwide strike called by central trade unions (CTUs), framing the February 12 protest as a joint action by workers and farmers.

According to SKM, the strike seeks to resist policy changes that, it says, weaken employment security and threaten farm livelihoods. Farmer organisations said protests would see participation from agricultural workers, industrial unions, power employees and other worker groups at multiple locations.

Apple growers in Himachal plan Delhi march

In Himachal Pradesh, apple growers have stepped up preparations to join the February 12 nationwide farmers' strike, announcing plans for a Delhi march. Growers have warned that recent reductions in import duties under the India-US and other free trade agreements could severely damage the hill state's apple-based economy.

Farmer organisations in the state accused the Centre of pursuing "anti-farmer" trade policies, saying assurances by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal that Indian apple growers' interests would be protected had failed to address their concerns.

The call for mobilisation was reiterated during block-level meetings of the Himachal Pradesh Apple Growers' Association (HPAGA) held in Jubbal and Rohru, where orchardists resolved to mobilise farmers at the village level for the February 12 strike.

Former MLA and senior farmers' leader Rakesh Singha cautioned that reduced import duties on apples from the United States, New Zealand and European Union countries would expose local growers to heavily subsidised foreign produce.

"The impact of this policy will be very deep. American apple farming is backed by massive subsidies and corporate players like Walmart and Cargill. Our farmers do not get even a fraction of that support. This reduction in import duty will destroy apple orchards here. This storm has already reached our fields, and it will uproot everything," Singha said. (ANI)

Odisha Congress extends political support

Against this national backdrop, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on Sunday announced that it would support the February 12 strike. OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das accused the Union government of weakening labour and rural employment safeguards through recent legislative measures.

Das said the Congress has been holding protests and demonstrations against the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 (VB-G RAM G), which he alleged replaced MGNREGA, introduced during the UPA government's tenure.

He added that the nationwide strike has been called by 10 central trade unions, including CITU, AITUC, INTUC, HMS, AICCTU, LPF, and UTUC, along with over 50 independent organisations representing bank, insurance, and state and central government employees.

Local issues add to protest pitch in Odisha

Das said district Congress committees across Odisha have been organising agitations for the past two months over issues such as the demand for 300 units of free electricity for household consumers and a complete waiver of electricity charges for farmers.

He alleged that farmers in the state are facing severe hardship due to mismanagement in the procurement of paddy, urea and other essential commodities.

The OPCC said a delegation of INTUC met Das at the party's state headquarters in Bhubaneswar on Saturday to seek Congress' support for the February 12 strike.