Overview Central trade unions and farmers’ organisations, including the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) , have announced an all-India general strike and road blockade scheduled for February 12 . This action is in opposition to what they describe as the Union government’s “anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti-democratic policies”. The decision was reinforced during a preparatory State conference held in Tiruchi. Key Developments Date: The all-India general strike and road blockade is scheduled for February 12 . Organisations Involved: The strike is being organised by central trade unions and farmers’ organisations, notably the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) . Location of Preparatory Conference: The preparatory State conference was held at the Thennur Uzhavar Sandhai in Tiruchi. Participating Trade Unions: Major trade unions such as the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) , the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) , the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) , the Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) , the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) , the LPF , and the UTUC are participating. Demands and Concerns Labour Codes: Speakers demanded the withdrawal of the four labour codes, alleging that the consolidation of 29 labour laws into four codes has excluded nearly 80% of workers from legal protection and favours large corporations. Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and Atomic Energy (Amendment) Bill: Concerns were raised that these bills would lead to privatisation of power generation and distribution, adversely affecting farmers and small consumers. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): Opposition to the proposal for 100% foreign direct investment in the insurance sector. Minimum Support Price (MSP): Demand for ensuring statutory minimum support prices for crops. Seed Bill: Call for dropping the proposed Seed Bill. MGNREGA: Demand for restoring the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) in its original form. Statements and Mobilization SKM State Coordinator: K. Balakrishnan stated that workers and farmers would jointly mobilise across districts ahead of the strike. UPSC Relevance This event is relevant to the UPSC syllabus as it touches upon several key areas: GS2: Government Policies and Interventions: The strike highlights concerns regarding government policies related to labour, agriculture, and energy. GS2: Social Justice: The issues raised by trade unions and farmer organizations relate to the rights and welfare of workers and farmers. GS3: Economy: The concerns about FDI, MSP, and the Electricity (Amendment) Bill are directly related to economic policies and their impact on various sectors. GS3: Agriculture: The demands related to MSP and the Seed Bill are crucial for understanding the challenges and issues in the agricultural sector.