Left parties'sponsored shutdown cripples life in Tripura

Life crippled in Left ruled Tripura on Monday as a Left Front sponsored 12-hour shutdown observed in the northeastern state to protest against demonetisation of higher currency notes by the BJP led central government.

The dawn-to-dusk strike was called by the Communist Party of India-Marxist led Left Front as part of the Left parties' all India agitation against the demonetisation of Rs 500 and 1,000 currency notes.

Government and semi-government, private offices, banks, educational institutions, shops and business establishments were remained closed due to the strike.

All types of vehicles, except security forces, remained off the roads.

Aircrafts in-between Agartala, Guwahati, Kolkata and New Delhi have been plied as usual.

Train services between Tripura and rest of the country were affected as the Left party workers blocked several trains in different locations in the state.

"There is no untoward incident reported from anywhere in the state. The shut down remained peaceful across the state," police spokesman Uttam Kumar Bhowmik told IANS.

Opposition parties including Trinamool Congress and Congress have opposed the shut down instead they have decided to organise protest rallies on the same issue in the evening.

The BJP workers led by local leaders held several rallies in different parts of the state opposing the strike and urged the people to maintain normalcy all across.

"As part of the all-India agitation against the Centre's November 8 demonetisation, we have urged the people of Tripura to observe the 12-hour strike across the state, The strike was total, successful and spontaneous," Tripura Left Front convenor and former Lok Sabha member Khagen Das said.

Das, a former Health and Revenue Minister in Tripura, said the people, especially the poor, farmers, unorganised workers, daily labourers, small and medium traders are the worst victim of the Modi government's demonetisation decision.

--IANS

sc/ahm/