Goa, July 8 -- A nationwide general strike, orBharat Bandh, is set to take place on Wednesday, July 9, with over 25 crore (250 million) workers from both formal and informal sectors expected to participate. The strike is likely to cause major disruptions in public services across India, though schools and most private offices are expected to remain open.

The strike has been called by a joint forum of 10 central trade unions, supported by various workers' and farmers' organisations. Their aim is to protest against what they describe as the central government's "anti-worker, anti-farmer, and pro-corporate" policies. The unions allege that recent economic and labour reforms have eroded worker rights, weakened collective bargaining, and wors...