Strike called by UFBU enters Day 2, banks remain shut in Mumbai, Panchkula, Siliguri

Bank employees continued with their nationwide strike on Tuesday, for the second day, following the call of the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU). Like all other parts of the country, it has impacted services and operations in Mumbai, Panchkula and Siliguri.

The strike called by the UFBU against privatisation of Public Sector Banks and 'retrograde banking reforms'.

Services such as deposits and withdrawal at branches, cheque clearance, and loan approvals got affected due to the strike. However, ATMs are likely to remain functional.

The United Forum of Bank Unions had called a two-day nationwide strike on March 15 and 16, against privatisation of Public Sector Banks and 'retrograde banking reforms'. Banks were already closed on March 13 (second Saturday) and March 14 (Sunday), leading to a four-day break in regular banking operations.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted that he stands in solidarity with the striking bank employees.

"GOI is privatising profit and nationalising loss. Selling PSBs to Modicronies gravely compromises India's financial security. I stand in solidarity with the striking bank employees," Gandhi tweeted.

The United Forum of Bank Union, an umbrella body of nine bank unions, with over 10 lakh bank employees and officers are participating in the strike.

All nine banks unions -- All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC), All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE), All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC), Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI), Indian National Bank Employees Federation (INBEF), Indian National Bank Officers' Congress (INBOC) and National Orgsation of Bank Officers (NOBO) and the National Orgsation of Bank Workers (NOBW) took part in the strike called by the UFBU.

The strike came after Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's Budget announcement where she announced the privatisation of two public sector banks (apart from IDBI Bank) as part of the government's disinvestment drive to generate Rs 1.75 lakh crore. Apart from bank unions, all the unions in four General Insurance Compes will be on strike on March 17. All the unions in LIC are on strike on March 18, while unions of four insurance compes have called for a strike against the privatisation of public compes.

( With inputs from ANI )