Bandh culture should be stopped, says Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata, Sept 2: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee today said she was a supporter of the working class but was against bandh as it has no future but the Marxists were trying to survive by resorting to frequent bandhs.

"I am totally a supporter of the working class. If I have anything to say I can fight, I can negotiate, I can protest keeping the industry open. Bandh has no future", she told reporters at the state secretariat. "Politically we (Trinamool Congress) are against BJP but we are against bandh.

Bandh culture should be stopped. The state government will not tolerate it any more. People don't accept bandh," the TMC supremo said.

Referring to the general strike by 10 central trade unions to protest against changes in labour laws, Banerjee said "We have already opposed some points in the labour laws. We have also written (to the centre) in this regard."

Ridiculing CPI-M, she said "Why are they not going to Delhi to fight this out? In fact, they have no power in Delhi. It is not that they are doing something for the labour class. They are trying to survive by calling frequent bandhs in a year.

"CPI-M tried to create violence, but our workers have shown restraint ... Bandh has failed to evoke any response," the chief minister said.

The state government offices in the city today recorded 93 per cent attendance and it was 97 per cent in the districts, she claimed adding "The strike also failed in the coal sector, port, tea gardens and other industries.

Although many shops in the metropolis were closed, they were open in the districts." Banerjee said over 1000 people were arrested throughout the state for trying to enforce the bandh, whose supporters even resorted to cut overhead wires of the railways.

She said TMC would organise protests in all blocks in the state to protest against the bandh. The chief minister said those who worked during the bandh would be rewarded and action would be taken against those remained absent as per rules.

The government had yesterday informed the traders that they would be compensated in case of any damage if they kept their shops open. "Still some of them kept their shops closed. It is upto them," she said. Banerjee said her government would abide by the directions of the Supreme court and High court regarding strike.

PTI