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Industrial strike evokes mixed response, Left unions call it major success

The nationwide industrial strike call given by 56 trade unions against the economic policies of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre today evoked mixed response with some of the states observing complete bandh-like situation while other states recorded little or no impact.

Public sector banks and insurance offices were paralysed throughout the country while transport services functioned at less than their normal capacity in many states.

Barring stray cases of stone throwing in Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Kerala, no major untoward incidents were reported, official sources said.

In the non-Congress and the non-BJP-ruled states like Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala and Manipur, normal life came to a grinding halt with public and private transport staying off the roads. Attendance in the government offices was thin especially with class III and IV employees not reporting to duty.

The strike call given under the umbrella of the National Platform of Mass Organisations did not receive much response in Maharashtra, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. In the north-eastern states of Sikkim, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, the strike had no effect whatsoever.

Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned on the issue of the general strike while more than 50 members of Parliament including veteran Left leaders including Indrajit Gupta demonstrated for over an hour in front of Parliament.

The NPMO had called for the day-long general national strike to protest against the government's failure to check spiralling prices of essential commodities. It also opposed the Insurance Regulatory Authority bill which would open up the insurance sector to foreign companies and the proposed amendments to the Indian Patents Act.

Rallies, demonstrations, rasta rokos, morchas (disruption of vehicular traffic and picketing) and public meetings marked the general strike even as a holiday-like atmosphere prevailed in those states where it had major affect.

In Parliament and the state assemblies of Orissa and West Bengal, no business could be carried out. The Orissa assembly adjourned with the ruling Congress members and the entire Opposition, barring the BJP, did not allow the house to proceed with any business.

In Orissa, where the strike had a mixed response, over 2000 people including 200 in Cuttack and 181 in Puri were taken into custody.

Supported by the ruling CPM-led left Democratic Front, normal life was crippled in Kerala. Although no major untoward incidents were reported, about a dozen private cars were damaged and six people injured in strone-throwing in Thiruvananthapuram and Kanhangbad. A 200-strong group delayed trains by over three hours in Kerala.

State Transport Corporation and private buses went off the roads in Assam while shops, business establishments, markets, banks and educational institutions remained closed in a widely observed strike.

Barring a minor clash between the supporters of the Trinamool Congress and CPM in Jalpaiguri district in which four people were injured, West Bengal observed a peaceful and total strike.

Work in banks and other economic institutions in Rajasthan came to a grinding halt due to strike. But it had no other impact in the state.

Backed by the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and its allies and the BJP's coalition partner the All India Anna DMK, the strike was near total in Tamil Nadu. With bus and train services fully withdrawn, normal life was hit in many parts of the state though shops, eating joints and business establishments remained open.

Road blockade in Khammam district, detention of trains and stoning of buses at Repalle and Palakollu marked the protest in Andhra Pradesh. The South Central Railway cancelled many trains in view of the strike.

In Maharashtra, the strike had marginal impact in Bombay, Thane district and the adjoining New Bombay with trains and buses plying as usual.

In Haryana and Punjab, the strike had no or little impact. All government institutions functioned normally with usual attendance and there were no disruptions in essential services.

However, in Punjab, transport services, power and water supplies were partially hit. Essential services were hit in Moga, Faridkot, Fatehgarh Sahib districts, Patiala and Muktsar districts.

Madhya Pradesh and Bihar had a mixed response to the strike with processions and demonstrations. About 80 strike supporters were taken into custody in Bihar while the industrial centres like Dhanbad, Ranchi, Hazaribagh observed total strike.

In northeastern states of Sikkim, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, the strike had little effect. However, Manipur observed a total strike.

The Left trade unions, at the end of the day, claimed that the strike was a major success in most parts of the country.

UNI

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