A first: state shuts down,govt works

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee turned up at the state secretariat at 10.40 am on Tuesday to find that an overwhelming number of government employees were present in their respective departments. She went around different departments,but instructed the police to restrict mediapersons on the ground that “important and secret” files may go missing if they were allowed in.

Later,addressing the media,she claimed that the strike called by the trade unions,mostly controlled by Left parties,has had no impact. “I could have mobilised Trinamool cadres to foil the bandh. But I did not do it because I had a firm belief that people will resist the culture of bandh,” she said while warning that action will be taken against the absentees in accordance with the law,“Cent per cent employees have attended their duties today. In some places,attendance of government staffers was around 98 per cent. I am proud of my employees. They proved it again that if there is a will there is a way. In a few stray cases,one or two employees remained absent. Their cases will be looked into. The employees have realized that bandh is not the future of Bengal ,” she said.

Officials,however,said 100 per cent attendance was reported in some agencies while 78-97 percent employees employees turned up at several offices. At the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO),91.5 percent attendance was reported.

Leader of the Opposition of CPM party Surya Kanta Misra said the strike had evoked an unprecedented response in the state. “Attendance in some government offices were ensured with the open threat of break-in-service clause by the government. But the pictures made it evident that the offices were used for food,music and relaxation; many were seen sleeping on the tables. Certain statics like low power consumption indicated that the bandh was comprehensive.”