CITU also calls off transport strike

Stating that CITU’s U-turn had nothing to do with the chief minister’s warning,Chakraborty said: “We are not bowing to any pressure. You may think so,but we don’t. The chief minister only prefers to do drama,and criticizes us. She has failed to undertake any concrete action against the Centre.”

He added that the trade union will launch a dharna in Delhi against the “steep hike” in prices of petrol and diesel.

It may be recalled that just after the CITU and other transport operators decided to go on a strike,the chief minister had threatened to cancel the route permits of the striking buses. She had also threatened to stop giving Rs 600 crore subsidy to public transport corporations if they take part in the strike and would do whatever it took to foil the bandh.

Even among the Left Front partners there were reservations about CITU’s decision to call the strike. With many terming CITU’s decision as “unilateral”. Sharp differences had cropped up among the Left trade unions with CPI’s labour arm AITUC and RSP’s UTUC not supporting CITU’s decision. Ranjit Guha,state secretary of AITUC,said,“We do not support the strike as the decision was announced by the CITU without discussing with us. However,we will not oppose the strike too.”

Left Front chairman Biman Bose too had earlier expressed his disapproval,saying the CITU did not consult the party.

On Saturday,Joint Council of Bus Syndicates and Bengal Bus Syndicate — two major transport operators in the state — and the taxi unions,including Calcutta Taxi Association and Progressive Men’s taxi Association,deferred the proposed statewide strike after state Transport Minister Madan Mitra met their representatives.

Reacting on the CITU’s decision,Mitra said: “I think that after the chief minister’s stern action the CITU decided to withdraw the strike.”

If CITU threatened for an agitation then Trinamool-backed trade unions will also decide what they will do to stop harassment of the commuters,he added.