The working class of India has once again demonstrated its capacity to confront the capitalist state, this time in the western state of Maharashtra. On February 13, 2026, hundreds of workers took to the streets in the state capital, Mumbai, and other cities, protesting against the four new labor codes that have been imposed by the ruling party. These codes, which consolidate and dilute existing labor protections, represent a direct assault on the rights of workers and a further step in the ongoing process of capital accumulation through the exploitation of labor.
The labor codes, which were passed by the central government in 2025, replace 29 existing labor laws with a single, more flexible framework. According to the protesting unions, these codes lack clarity on guaranteed benefits for unorganized and gig workers, while making it easier for employers to hire and fire workers. The codes also reduce the power of trade unions to negotiate on behalf of workers, and they weaken the legal protections that have been won through decades of struggle.
The protests in Maharashtra are part of a broader nationwide strike, known as the Bharat Bandh, which has been called by a joint forum of central trade unions. The strike has seen participation from over 30 crore workers across India, including workers from banking, healthcare, insurance, and other sectors. The strike has disrupted transport, banking, and public services across the country, and has forced the government to confront the reality that any attempt to undermine workers’ rights will be met with fierce resistance.
The Maharashtra protests are particularly significant because they highlight the specific ways in which the labor codes are being used to weaken the bargaining power of workers. The codes, which were passed by the central government, are being implemented by state governments, including Maharashtra. The Maharashtra government, which is led by a coalition of parties that are allied with the ruling party, has been accused of actively promoting the implementation of these codes, despite the protests of workers and unions.
The protests in Maharashtra have been met with a heavy-handed response from the state government. Police have used tear gas and batons to disperse protesters, and several workers have been arrested. The state government has also attempted to discredit the protests by labeling them as “anti-national” and “anti-development.” This is a classic tactic of the ruling class, which seeks to portray any challenge to its authority as a threat to the nation itself.
The Maharashtra protests are a vivid illustration of the class struggle in the twenty-first century. They demonstrate that the working class, when organized and mobilized, can challenge the power of the capitalist state and force it to concede to its demands. They also demonstrate that the struggle for workers’ rights is not a zero-sum game, but a struggle for the very survival of the working class itself.
The Maharashtra protests are a reminder that the state is not a neutral arbiter, but an instrument of class domination. The state, in the hands of the capitalist class, will always seek to protect the interests of capital over those of labor. The working class must therefore remain vigilant, organized, and ready to confront any attempt to undermine its rights.
The Maharashtra protests are also a reminder that the struggle for workers’ rights is not a struggle for a better deal within the capitalist system, but a struggle for the overthrow of that system itself. The labor codes, which are being used to weaken workers’ rights, are a symptom of a deeper crisis of capitalism, a crisis that can only be resolved through the revolutionary overthrow of the capitalist system and the establishment of a socialist society.
The Maharashtra protests are a call to action for all workers, not just in India, but around the world. They demonstrate that the working class, when organized and mobilized, can challenge the power of the capitalist state and force it to concede to its demands. They also demonstrate that the struggle for workers’ rights is not a struggle for a better deal within the capitalist system, but a struggle for the very survival of the working class itself.
The Maharashtra protests are a testament to the power of the working class, and a reminder that the struggle for workers’ rights is not a struggle for a better deal within the capitalist system, but a struggle for the very survival of the working class itself.