Saturday, September 22, 2012

West Bengal Observes All-out Strike Amid Series of Intimidations and Attacks



Refuting incessant intimidation from the West Bengal State Government and series of attacks on road on workers of Left Front and CPI(M), the conscious participation of common people has collapsed the normal life of the state to make the General Strike protesting FDI in retail sector, drastic hike on Diesel price and LPG cooking gas. While rallying in Kolkata the CPI(M) state secretary and Left Front Chairman Biman Basu has commented that the strike was all-out and will mark the beginning of bigger movement in very near future if the Central Government does not withdraw its anti-people decisions.

The strike was called to protest the unprecedented decisions taken by the Central Government to

(i) allow Foreign Direct Investment in internal retail sector; (ii) huge hike in Diesel Price; (iii) withdrawal of subsidy in cooking gas that causes unbearable hike in cylinder price;


The strike in West Bengal also marks its solidarity with the national protest of 8 Left and other parties including CPI(M)in other parts of the country. Since the call of the 12 hour general strike in Bengal the State Government and TMC, being indecisive to launch any drastic mark of protest, started intimidating people and workers of CPI(M) and other left parties throughout the state. Amid such an intimidation people of West Bengal have participated in the general strike.


Whole Hearted Strike


The state witnessed an massive response from the common people working in different fields and disciplines. The shop owners including small enterprises responded hugely not only to mark protest against the decisions but also against the intimidations by the TMC hooligans. The people associated in transport sector have remarkably participated in the strike. The industrial areas, like Kalyani, Durgapur, Taratala, of the state remained almost closed. Most of the schools and colleges remained closed as students have not attended in numbers. The water transport system severely lacked its regular passengers. Rallies have been organized in different areas of the state where state CPI(M) leadership led from the front. Biman Basu himself led the rally in Kolkata.


Intimidation turns into attacks on workers across districts


Having observed the magnitude of the strike and spontaneous participation of common people all over Bengalthe State Government and TMC hooligans from early hours have unleashed series of attacks and assaults on workers of left parties. They did not even spare workers of their present and former allies like SUCI, BJP and others.


Workers and Party Offices of CPI(M) and other left parties have been attacked by TMC hooligans in almost every part of the state.


• Party Office in Bardhaman city has been attacked by TMC hooligans; • CPI(M) workers were attacked in Asansol, Naihati, Khardah, Barjora, Bankura, Birbhum, Tarakeswar, Arambag, Chinsura, Habra, Lake Town, Howrah, Shyambazar, Mathabhanga, and in Amta; • SUCI workers were attacked in Coochbehar, Shyambazar in Kolkata; • More than 20 left front workers have been injured while some of them suffered serious injury.

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