Suci Bandh Hits Life In Bengal

Normal life was partially affected in some districts, particularly in South 24 Parganas, in the 24-hour bandh called by the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Suci) here yesterday.

The bandh, however, had little impact in the metropolis and adjoining Howrah district where trams and state transport buses plied since morning. However, private mini buses and taxis were seen in fewer numbers, police said.

Shops, bazaars and other establishments remained closed, except in certain areas in the city and the districts. The weekly Mangla haat, which is the largest wholesale market in eastern India, was also affected by the bandh.

Stock exchange was open, while the main commodity markets remained closed.

 

Altogether 46 bandh supporters were rounded up in the state for trying to enforce the bandh, which has been so far peaceful, police said.

Metro rail services in the city and the ferry services between Calcutta and Howrah remained normal.

However, train services in the Eastern and South-Eastern Railways Howrah and Sealdah divisions, respectively, were disrupted due to squatting on the railway tracks in different stations, railway sources said.

As a result attendance in the offices and factories was comparatively low, the police said.

Railway sources said station master of Katwa was confined for an hour by the bandh supporters in the morning and was later rescued by the police.

State chief secretary Manish Gupta said no untoward incident was reported during the bandh, which he claimed, was not successful.

The police arrested 60 bandh supporters in the city and 322 in the districts for putting up rail and roadblocks as well as for trying to forcibly close shops, he said the chief secretary said.

Suci state secretary Pravash Ghosh, while claiming success of the bandh, alleged that the police used force to suppress the democratic movement.

The bandh was called in protest against the Left Front governments education policy to demand re-introduction of English at the primary level and revocation of hiked school fees.

Work was, however, normal in industrial units, tea gardens, coalfields and Calcutta Port Trust. Attendance was 80 per cent in government offices while 70 to 80 per cent of the commercial establishments were open.