Indian workers go on a daylong nationwide strike against Modi's economic reforms

Hundreds of thousands of workers across India went on a nationwide strike on Wednesday in opposition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts to privatize state-run companies and other economic reforms, partially disrupting public services and manufacturing.

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A coalition of 10 major trade unions that represent laborers and several other groups that speak for farmers and rural workers called for the one-day industrial action, dubbing it Bharat Bandh," Hindi for "Shut Down India." The strikes pose fresh challenges for Modi's efforts to attract foreign companies by easing labor laws to streamline business operations and boost productivity.

Unions that helped organize the strikes say that coal mining operations were halted in several states while some trains came to a grinding halt as protestors blocked the network, and that banks, insurance companies and supermarkets were disrupted.