Mixed response in Delhi to Trade unions strike

New Delhi, Aug 20 (UNI) There was a mixed response in Delhi to the countrywide bandh called by the seven Left-wing Central Trade Unions to protest the government refusal to accept their six-point demands and the ''anti-people economic policies'' of the UPA Government.

Barring cancellation of some flights between Delhi to Kolkata, flight operations from the Delhi airport remained normal.

A spokesperson of the GMR Group, which managed the airport, said, ''All flights between Guwahati and Kolkata to Delhi were cancelled. 14 Departures and 11 arrivals of flights got cancelled in Delhi today.'' Though some ground operations were affected earlier in the day due to the Airports Authority Employees' Union expressing their support to the left strike, the airport saw by and large normal operations as the day progressed.

''Delhi International Airport (P) Limited, which is managing the operations of IGIA, had a backup plan to minimise any impact on airport operations and minimal inconvenience was caused to the passengers,''the GMR spokesperson said.

Employees at IGI Airport (IGIA), Delhi today organised a protest meeting, as part of nationwide movement, in support of their demands pending with the management of the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

Train services in and around Delhi too remained normal.

With the employees of the public sector banks and airport extending their support to the bandh called by the Left trade unions, including CPI(M) affiliated Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU), several public sector banks were closed.

There were a few demonstrations by workers of the varioos Left-sponsored trade unions in areas like Parliament Street, Town Hall, Okhla and Mayapuri-Narayana area.

Employees of various sectors, including telecom, railways, defence, banks, insurance, various public sectors, besides the state and central government employees, have declared their support to Left-supported bandh.

The six-point demands included containing unprecedented price rise, widening economic disparity, falling real wages and mass-scale violation of the labour laws, rising unemployment and increasing atrocities on labour.

The bandh call was given by the Sponsoring Committee of Trade Unions comprising AITUC, CITU, HMS, AIUTUC, AICCTU, UTUC and TUCC.

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