CM vows not to keep mum against bandh even if called by his party

Kolkata, Aug 26(UNI) Creating a flutter, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today said he would not keep mum against bandh even if it was called by his party next time.

" Unfortunately, as I belong to one party, I keep mum when they call a bandh. But I have finally decided that next time I will open my mouth," he told industry captains at an interactive meeting, organised by Assocham.

Mr Bhattacharjee, who spoke on various issues, including the problem over the Nano project and answered several questions concerning trade unionism, said he was opposed to the culture of bandh and did not think it would do any good to the state.

"I do not support any bandh. Personally if you ask me, I think it is not helping us," he said.

It was on August 20 that life in the entire state was immobilised following a countrywide strike call by Left trade unions in protest against price rise and the UPA Government's industrial and labour policies.

The state had also witnessed several other bandhs over the past one year, most of them called by the Opposition parties on issues like Nandigram.

The business chambers in the state had already made a sharp criticism of the practice of bandh, particularly at a time when an effort was being made for the state's industrial rejuvenation and attracting investment.

Asking the trade unions to 'behave', Mr Bhattacharjee assured that his Government was trying to change the mindset of trade union leaders and workers. "And I think that things have changed," he said.

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