Congress and CPI-ML describe today's bandh as "total"

Kolkata, Oct 9 (UNI) Describing today's 12 hour statewide Bangla Bandh as ''total and one of the most sucessful in recent memory'', both the opposition Congress and the CPI-(ML) congratulated the people for their overwhelming response.

Speaking to newspersons here this evening, West Bengal Pradesh Congress Working president Pradip Bhattacharya said in spite of all efforts by the ruling CPI-M to forcibly open several establishments, the people across the state rejected their demand participated in the protest.

Claiming that though the Congress did not call the Bandh, large number of party workers ''actively'' participated in ensuring its total success through peaceful means, Mr Bhattacharya said, adding as a result more than 1,000 Congress workers including many women courted arrest.

More than 50 party workers also sustained injuries in unprovoked police lathi charge in several places. Mr Bhattacharya criticised the role of state police force in the name of maintaining peace.

Asked about the role of former city Mayor and now Congress leader Subrata Mukherjee who had directly participated in today's Trinamool Congress sponsored bandh by tking to the street, Mr Bhattacharya refused to give any direct reply except saying, ''It was his (Mr Mukherjee's) personal decision''.

''In fact, it was in tune with the party's decision to actively participate in today bandh in support of AITC,'' the Pradesh Congress Working president clarified. Several other party leaders also took out processions in support of the Bandh, he said.

The CPI(ML) Liberation also congratulated the people for the ''total success'' of today's Bandh and described it as ''historic''.

Lambasting the CPI-(M)-led ruling Left Front for allegedly destroying the state's limited farm land and forcIbly uprooting farmers from their parental land in the name of industrialisation, CPI-(ML) Liberation state general secretary Kartick Paul said more and more people had started realising the 'true face'of the ruling parties and came out in support of the bandh in large numbers on their own.

He also described today's bandh as one of the most successful in recent times with workers in most of the industries and those in the North Bengal tea gardens staying away from work.

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