Mamata Banerjee to face test of harsh reality today

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s populist posturing is about to face a test of harsh reality, as associations of private bus owners and taxi owners have called for a 24-hour strike in Kolkata and surrounding districts tomorrow.

Private bus owners and taxi owners are going on strike in Howrah, Hooghly, North and South 24 Parganas districts, demanding a fare hike in view of the recent increase in diesel prices. They want a minimum hike of Re 1 in the bus fare, Rs 13 in the taxi fare and Rs 2 in the minibus fare.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led Progressive Taxi Association and Joint Council of Bus Syndicates have decided to stay away from the strike, after they were prevailed upon by party heavyweights. But their members are openly expressing sympathy for the strikers.

Transport minister Subrata Bakshi has appealed to the bus and taxi owners to call off the strike, but stopped short of assuring them on their demand. Transport secretary P P Gopalika has indicated the government is in no mood to give in to their demand.

It is learnt Banerjee is strongly opposed to any idea of putting extra burden on the common man.

Earlier, electricity generating and distribution companies in the state wanted to raise the power rate to meet the rising cost of fuel. But the chief minister, in her capacity as power minister, disapproved the move.

Tomorrow’s strike is the first of its kind that will test the will and determination of the state government.

The Centre for Indian Trade Unions (Citu), the CPI(M)’s powerful labour wing, has also come forward to oppose the strike. But Citu state president Shyamal Chakraborty accused the state government of being indifferent to the ordinary people’s interest. He stressed the point that “the government has not taken any step to resolve the crisis by initiating dialogue with the associations, though there are TMC ministers and leaders who control the transport industry”. Sports minister Madan Mitra and TMC MLA Swarnakamal Saha are two prominent leaders who control a number of transport associations.