BJP calls 12-hour industrial strike in WB

Kolkata, Dec 8: West Bengal BJP today called a 12-hour industrial strike in West Bengal on December13, a day before the 24- hour nationwide similar strike by all the 56 Left trade unions.

Announcing the party's decision, BJP state general secretary Rahul Sinha here today claimed that their decision to convene the strike was not sudden as they had informed the state government through a letter dated October four and obtained the necessary clearance.

Asked about the rationale behind calling a dawn-to-dusk similar strike in a bid to paralyse life in the state, which had already experienced two bandhs in quick succession and was preparing to face the CITU-sponsord countrywide industrial strike on December 14, Mr Sinha clarified that in spite of some similarities in some of the demands, they had decided to call the statewide industrial strike in protest against the state government's overall industrial and agricultural policy.

To a query BJP state general secretary denied that their proposed strike was aimed at creating public inconveniences on a working day, but to highlight their long standing demands in the face of stiff opposition from the ruling parties.

"We are confident of receiving enough public support to our demands, which included the opening of nearly 56,000 closed factories in the state and the government's failure to create the promised one crore job opportunities and immediate stoppage of acquisition of farm land in the name of industry, Mr Sinha said.

Mr Sinha also threatened to file a suit aganist the state government in Calcutta High Court soon on charge of "failng to inform" the state BJP about the government stand on Singur issue under the Right to Information Act within one month of writing a letter to the authority and seeking the necessary clarification.

UNI

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