Strike Peaceful In Bengal, Train Services Hit

The all-India general strike called by the National Platform of Mass Organisations (NPMO), a representative body of 56 organisations, was totally peaceful in West Bengal, said state deputy chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya while briefing the media yesterday afternoon.

In another meeting with media persons, Center of Indian Trade Unions (Citu) general secretary Chittabrata Majumdar said, "The strike was spontaneous and total in West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. The strike also had a significant impact in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu."

The strike was supported by central trade unions, Citu, Aituc, UTUC, UTUC(L), AICCTU and HMS. Various employees, peasant, cultural and students' federations across the country extended full support to the strike, he said.

 

Majumdar described yesterday's strike was a part of a larger process to unite the masses against the government's anti-people policies.

He said similar move by organisations in the power sector and port and docks have forced the government to retract some of the policies declared earlier.

The deputy chief minister said, "The country's working class did not face a worse economic onslaught since independence. The strike was called by public sector undertakings, banks, LIC, Iisco and Eastern Coalfields workers are terrorised and facing an uncertain future. It is, thus, natural that the strike has been spontaneous."

The attendance at the Writers' Buildings was limited to just 30. There was no work at the Calcutta port. "Some tea gardens at Darjeeling were, however, open. But, they are always open," said Bhattacharya.

Asked why the Opposition in the state did not try to break the strike, he said they too cannot deny the financial hardship faced by the people.

West Bengal Left Front committee chairman Sailen Dasgupta said the people have registered their protest against the government's policies by supporting the strike in a spontaneous manner.

Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson described the strike in West Bengal as one which was `sponsored by the state government'.

Train services in eastern railway, including Sealdah, Howrah and Asansol divisions were disrupted due to obstructions put up at several stations by the strike supporters, according to a press release issued by eastern railway yesterday.

A number of Howrah-bound long distance trains were rescheduled in Dhanbad and Mughalsarai divisions.