Left, Congress take out rally in support of November 26 nationwide strike

Left and Congress activists

took to the streets in the city on Monday in support of the nationwide general strike call given by the joint committee of several central trade unions on November 26 in protest against the Centre's economic policies.

The rallyists carried burning torches and set fire to effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah vowing to physically resist any attempt to make the strike unsuccessful.

Members and leaders of 16 Left organisations and Congress, led by Left Front Chairman Biman Bose, CPI(M) state Secretary Suryakanta Mishra, Congress MP Pradip Bhattacharya and leaders of trade union wings took part in the rally which marched from Lenin statue at Esplanade to Hedua Park in north Kolkata.

"While BJP is an extreme right wing party, TMC is a right wing party. It is quite natural both will oppose a people's movement like strike," Bose told reporters in reply to questions.

TMC had said while it opposed the economic policies of BJP, the party was not in favour of inconveniencing people by calling strikes.

"When people's livelihood issues are at stake, one has to go for strike," Bose said when asked to react on TMC's stand.

Bhattacharya said the strike will be total in the state.