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May 11, 2000
BUDGET 2000 |
Nation-wide strike disrupts life; transport, banking services hit
Normal life was paralysed in most parts of India due to the nation-wide strike resorted to by Leftist trade unions and bank employees protesting against the government's economic liberalisation policies and cut in subsidies.
Businesses and transport links were disrupted, while work in banks came to a near-standstill because of the demonstrations. India's four main communist parties, 12 other political groups, 55 industry federations, six trade unions and the major banking unions took part in the protest. Opposition parties support strike; Parliament adjourned Meanwhile, the opposition parties forced the adjournment of Parliament for the day without transaction of any business in an expression of solidarity with trade unions that organised the strike. Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned for the day after two adjournments without taking up any listed business. Strikers include people from the finance, defence and government sectors and in the textile, steel and transport industries. Conflicting reports emerge on extent, impact of strike There were contradictory reports on the extent and the impact of the stir, with trade union leaders claiming that the strike was total in almost all of the country's 26 states. Some trade union leaders said that while the impact of the strike was total in West Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, work was partially affected in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. ''Situation was normal in Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh,'' they said. However, others trade unions contested the claim saying work in all banks and other government organisations was badly affected nation-wide. Air and rail links were badly hit in Marxist-ruled West Bengal where flights and some trains were cancelled until Friday. Truck transport ground to a halt in several other states, reports said. Banks transactions disrupted The All-India Bank Employees' Association and Bank Employees Federation gave the strike call in the banks. While these two unions have considerable influence on the banking industry, they do not have much support in the State Bank of India, or SBI, where most of employees have allegiance to the national confederation of bank employees. However, an RBI official said that Indian cheque-clearing operations have not been affected by a nationwide strike by bank employees. "Cheques that were deposited on Wednesday have been cleared with 109 member banks out of 119 banks collecting their cheques on Thursday," a Reserve Bank of India spokeswoman said. The official said state-run banks, except the SBI, took part in the clearing operations. About 600,000 bank employees struck work on Thursday to protest against the government's plans to privatise state-run banks. The stoppage affected trading in the call money market with very few bids from banks, dealers said. Call money closed at 7.0-7.10 percent on Wednesday and most banks had covered their positions by striking deals for two-days on Wednesday. West Bengal: Normal activities in West Bengal came to a standstill today during a one-day nation-wide strike against the economic policies of the central government and hike in prices of essential commodities. "The strike is total and peaceful throughout the state," West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu told reporters. Official sources said that 343 Trinamool Congress activists were arrested for putting up a blockade in front of the bungalow of the district magistrate, Howrah. The party activists were demonstrating against the strike. Shops, markets, educational and commercial institutions and banks remained closed. There was no transaction at the RBI's Calcutta branch. Attendance in state government offices was virtually nil, while it was moderate in some of the central government offices. Four ordnance factories in reported 65 per cent attendance. Vehicular traffic remained off the road. Train services were paralysed because of picketting on railway tracks and blockade at several stations. Indian Airlines cancelled all its flights in view of the strike. Only a Port Blair flight was operated by Alliance Airlines before the commencement of the strike. Work at the Calcutta dock system and Haldia dock complex of Calcutta Port Trust was affected as workmen joined the strike today. Only a few ships could sail out from Calcutta and Haldia early this morning. Of the nine ships already berthed at the port, partial work was done only in two ships, while no loading and unloading was done in any of the eight ships. Maharashtra: The working in banking industry came to a grinding halt in Bombay and entire Maharashtra following the All-India Bank Employees' Association, or AIBEA, representing nearly 600,000 bank employees, which affected about 50 per cent of the industry's workforce. The strike was in protest against the economic policies of the government, liberalisation and globalisation which is affecting labour and poor of the country and a part of a countrywide general strike organised by the National Platform of Mass Organisation, or NPMO, representing 56 mass organisations. The insurance employees and All India Reserve Bank of India, or RBI, officers association also joined the nationwide bank strike. According to industry sources, counter services and other customer related work remain totally paralysed in almost all the banks in Bombay as well as in the state, while check clearing and the inter-bank foreign exchange trading was seen partially affected by the strike. AIBEA secretary Suresh Dhopeshwarkar said that at least 10,000 bank employees joined in a procession and held demonstrations this morning. ''The strike was total in 27 banks, excluding the State Bank of India,'' he said. Workers of several factories and mills and employees of various central and state government employees abstained from work today to join the day-long strike. Though there was virtually no transaction in several banks in this commercial capital, there was no affect in the transport systems. Suburban locals, civic buses and taxis were plying regularly. However, work was severely affected in local factories and mills. The organisations had given the countrywide strike call to protest against the liberalisation policies of the government. They were also protesting against the price hike and the divestment policy of the government. Chandigarh: The nation-wide general strike evoked mixed response in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. Even though essential services like power and water supply remained normal in both the states, banks and insurance offices did not function in protest against the privatisation of banking and insurance sectors. The Punjab unit activists of the Left parties blocked traffic and held processions and rallies at several places in the state. The employees of Punjab Roadways in Ludhiana and Chandigarh observed complete strike causing decline in the frequency of bus services across the state, police said. All power generation units in Haryana functioned normally. Orissa: Life was disrupted in Orissa today in view of the country-wide strike. All shops and business establishments remained closed and private as well as state owned buses were off the roads. Though all the offices were open, most of the employees did not report for duty. Train services were also partially affected as most of the trains were either cancelled or detained at various stations. Police were deployed at various places to maintain law and order. Nagaland: The strike by major trade union evoked no response in Nagaland today, official sources said. All the offices of the central and state government functioned normally and educational institution were open throughout the state. There was no disruption in vehicular movement. In Dimapur, flights did not operate but the trains were running normally. All the branches of the SBI in the state were open, but branches of all other banks remained closed owing to the strike called by some bank unions. Assam: Life came to a grinding halt in Assam today in response to a country-wide strike called to protest the economic policy of the government. Work in all the government offices was disrupted, shops and business establishments were closed and air and rail services suspended. Several trade unions in the state had also expressed their solidarity with the strike. All long-distance private and state transport buses were off the road. Tripura: Life was paralysed in Tripura today following the strike. There has been no report of any untoward incidents. The government offices, financial and educational institutions and markets were closed. The vehicles were off the roads. Indian Airlines authority has cancelled its two flights to Calcutta. Rail services were also affected. Andhra Pradesh: The strike in Andhra Pradesh to protest the "failure" of TDP government in tackling drought situation and its lack of sincerety in mounting pressure on Centre to roll back the price hike of essential commodities, began on Thursday amidst tight security. Shops and business establishments downed shutters and the Andhra Pradesh Transport Corporation, or APSRTC, operated skeletal services while autorickshaws and private cabs plied as usual. Party functionaries of Congress and Left parties and various trade union activists were seen going round the streets, asking shopkeepers and cinema hall owners to take part in the bandh. Elaborate security arrangments have been made in view of the bandh with setting up of special police pickets at all vital installations and heavy deployment of forces at railway stations and bus depots. Markets were closed, shops downed their shutters and vehicles stayed off the roads. Madhya Pradesh: The response in Madhya Pradesh to the nationwide strike was lukewarm. Even though the strike affected normal functioning in banks and insurance offices, shops and business establishments remained opened and transport services continued. Work in the banks and insurance offices was affected. The bank employees gathered outside the main branch office of the Punjab National Bank and staged a demonstration. The employees of Life Insurance Corporation, or LIC, staged demonstration outside the LIC divisional office. Bihar: The nationwide strike evoked partial response in Bihar today. Train services were crippled following disruption of railway traffic in West Bengal. State Home Secretary U N Panjiyar said no untoward incident was reported from anywhere. The ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal and other parties supported the strike, which paralysed the functioning of the banks, financial institutions and industrial units in the state. However, vehicular traffic in some parts of south and central Bihar was affected. Official sources said more than 1,000 supporters were detained from different parts of the state. In Patna, vehicular traffic was normal and the state government offices functioned as usual. However, some commercial establishments kept their shutters down. CII condemns strike The Confederation of Indian Industry, or CII, strongly condemned the strike called by the national platform of mass organisations terming it as very unfortunate, especially at a time when the Indian economy and industry was on a recovery path. CII president Arun Bharat Ram pointed out that such strikes lead to a disruption in the movement of goods and services, thereby causing acute hardship not only to the common man but also the corporate sector, the agriculture sector and the economy at large. He pointed out that the economic reforms programme in India needed to gather greater momentum and the economy needed to reach a higher growth path in order to make a serious dent on poverty and unemployment. ''It is only through growth and growth alone that the country would be able to rid itself of its current problems. Such strikes, are anti-growth and anti-poor, such strikes are self-defeating,'' he said. Reuters, UNI, Agencies ALSO SEE Jan 2000: Ports of Pain! Dock-workers continue strike for more pay Feb 1999: Success in Bengal thickens Cong-Left bond, nation-wide strike against price rise planned Feb 1999: Bank strike affects forex market; leaders urge Sinha to broker deal Jan 1999: Bank strike hits call money, forex and financial markets Dec 1998 industrial strike: BJP's economic policies come under fire
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(The AFP photograph alongside, shot by Arko Datta, shows a policeman pushing back activists belonging to the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) while they attempted to block traffic today in New Delhi.)
(The AFP photograph alongside, shot by Arko Datta, shows a woman activist trying to push through a police cordon as the student wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) attempted to block traffic today in New Delhi.)