Left-backed Trade union strike to clash with ‘Singur Divas’

Ranjit Guchhait, who owns a confectionary shop, said, “Principally, I am against any kind of strike as it is a deterrent to our livelihood. Shutting down my shop for a day would mean loss of business, but we don’t take a risk as there could be trouble by cadres of political parties who have ransacked shops that remained open in the past. But I am sure the upcoming bandh will have no effect at all here and all shops would be open,” he said.

Eleven central trade unions had called for the bandh to protest against the ‘anti-people’ policies of the central government. The Mamata-led government has vehemently opposed the strike.

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Those in support of the bandh remained optimistic. “If an area which is a stronghold of a political party opposes the bandh, it is an isolated incident. It will be an overall success in the country,” said Ramen Pandey, state president of INTUC, the Congress-backed trade union.

“We are happy and welcome the decision of the apex court but it is a nasty decision by Mamata to celebrate it on September 2. She is claiming credit for the victory but she has forgotten that it was the INTUC which had started the Singur movement. We had put up four camps there and had invited Mamata over,” Pandey told The Indian Express.

Senior CPM leader Rabin Deb who had unsuccessfully contested the recently concluded Assembly election from Singur, said, “It is up to the people. The administration should only ensure that no one is forced to go for or against the bandh,” Deb said.