Trinamool bandh rejected by people : Biman

Kolkata, Oct 31 (UNI) Left Front Chairman Biman Basu today refuted the Trinamool Congress claims of bringing the state to a halt during their 12-hour bandh and said the protagonists resorted to violent means to fructify their programme.

Addressing the media, Mr Basu said, ''The people of Bengal will decide whether the bandh was successful. All the tea gardens from North Bengal to the plains were open. All the jute mills, except the Budge Budge jute mill, functioned as usual and early variety harvesting went about in the rural Bengal.'' ''In the city 775 government buses plied and 127 trams also kept them company. The bandh call got no response in the sub-urban areas,'' he said.

He further alleged that the Trinamool's cry for Nandigram was crocodile tears. ''If they are so sympathetic towards the people of Nandigram, why they have been a block in the path of its progress. Rs eight crore earmarked for the region's progress has been unused, medical facility has also broken down,'' he said.

He further stated that the Trinamool Congress's cry of peaceful bandh was a show. ''You do not bring peace by shouting peace. You will have to have the mentality to bring peace. We saw an example of their honest intention when they damaged two trams and 18 government buses,'' he claimed.

UNI