Kolkata, Jan 8 (IANS) Normal life was partially hit in West Bengal on Tuesday due to the two-day nationwide strike called by central trade unions in protest against the “pro-corporate, anti-national and anti-people” policies of the Modi government.
A number of senior Left leaders including CPI-M’s Sujan Chakraborty were detained while picketing at various places in Kolkata.
“We were picked up by the police from Jadavpur and kept in detention. Our strike is against the Modi government’s misrule at the Centre but the West Bengal government is trying to throttle the strike. Actually they are extending a helping hand to Modi,” Chakraborty told IANS.
Train services were disrupted both in Howrah and Sealdah divisions of the Eastern Railway and South Eastern Railway.
Strike supporters put up blockades in a number of stations including Belgharia, Khardah Durgapur and Asansol and clashed with the police in the suburbs in South 24 Parganas district’s Lakhikantapur, Canning; North 24 Pargans’ Madhaygram, Hasnabad and Barasat.
Agitators obstructed train movement in Hooghly’s Rishra, Uttarpara, East Burdwan’s Samudragarh, Birbhum’s Rampurhat, West Burdwan’s Durgapur in Howrah division of Eastern Railway and also at Uluberia in South Eastern Railway.
In Kolkata, though many public and private buses were seen plying on the roads but strike supporters, who ransacked many buses and trucks, took out rallies at Jadavpur, Sovabazar and Sealdah areas.
As the day progressed, Left activists demonstrated on busy city streets including the Central Avenue and torched tyres.
Taxis and autos mostly kept off the road and most shops remained closed.
State Minister and Trinamool Congress Secretary General Partha Chatterjee said the government would take all measures to maintain public utility services.
The state government has issued a circular stating its offices would remain open on strike days and no leave would be granted. It also urged banks and educational institutions to remain open.
Over 10,000 police personnel were deployed in the city along with an additional force of 5,000.
–IANS
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