Life affected in Tripura on second day of trade union strike

Normal life in Tripura was affected for the second day on Wednesday due to the nationwide shutdown called by 10 central trade unions in protest against the "pro-corporate, anti-workers and anti-people policies" of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.

A large number of markets, shops and business establishments were closed and most private and passenger vehicles remained off the roads.

Government offices, though, functioned almost normally, and many of the schools and educational institutions also remained open with thinner attendance.

Most banks and financial institutions remained shut in line with their decision to down shutters on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Flights operated to and from Agartala, while the Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) operated their trains with very less passengers.

A police official said there were no untoward incidents reported from any part of the state in view of the strike.

The Left parties and their trade union leaders maintained that the shutdown was total and successful while the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claimed that the people rejected the strike in Tripura.

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader and Tripura unit president of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) Manik Dey told the media that braving the threat of ruling BJP and the state government, the state's people unitedly observed the shutdown to protest against the anti-people policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre.

BJP General Secretary Pratima Bhowmik, however, claimed that the "people outrightly rejected the strike as it did not serve their interest".

CITU leader Manik Dey said life was crippled in large parts of rural areas in Tripura, and in urban and semi-urban areas the shutdown was almost total.

"The BJP government used the administration and the police to foil the success of the strike. Several BJP leaders accompanied by a large number of party workers forcibly opened some shops and business establishments. Amidst a total undemocratic situation, people of Tripura denounced the policies of the BJP government," he said.

--IANS

sc/nir