Left calls 12-hour strike in Bengal against demonetisation

The Left parties in West Bengal, including the CPI-M and CPI, today called a 12-hour statewide strike on November 28 to protest against demonetisation even as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refrained from support.
Announcing the decision, Left Front chairman Biman Bose said 18 Left parties would participate in the strike.
Banks, ATMs, health and milk distribution services have been kept out of the purview of the strike, Bose said.
Left Front partner RSP said the suffering of the common people has forced the Left Front to call the strike.
"We were forced to call the strike as the common man is being subjected to inhuman suffering. We are not against unearthing black money, but the way it has been implemented is wrong and is causing immense hardships to the common man," RSP state secretary Khiti Goswami told PTI.

Asked if the Left Front would approach TMC for support for the strike since it has also opposed the demonestisation move and called a rally on Monday, Goswami said, "TMC supremo (Mamata Banerjee) had earlier called for a united fight against the move. So we will communicate to her as TMC has also called a rally on that day."

The development came even as Banerjee said there will not be any bandh in the state on November 28, but a protest march will be carried out against demonetisation.
She also tweeted that "during the meeting of opposition parties in Delhi, a bandh was never discussed or agreed to. We do not support any bandh called".

"People are suffering. I appeal to all to stand by the people at this hour of crisis," she said in another tweet.