Millions of workers go on strike across India demanding more rights

Protesters take to the streets in India on a day of industrial action to demand more rights (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

Millions of workers began a nationwide two-day strike across India on Monday to express their anger at the government’s economic policies and press their demands for improved rights for industrial workers, employees and farmers.

About a dozen labour unions that organised the strike want the government to provide universal social security coverage for workers in the vast unorganised sector, hike the minimum wage under a flagship employment guarantee programme and stop the privatisation of public-sector banks.