Mamata Banerjee opposes trade union bandh

DHANIKHALI(WB): The West Bengal government will not allow forcible enforcement of the two-day bandh by trade unions, to be held later this month, which would only 'aggravate' the economic situation of the state, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said today.

The economic situation of the state is in a mess because of the 34 years of Left Front 'misrule' and bandhs led to economic loss and ruined the state, she told a rally here.

"I do not believe in the politics of bandh. We ( Trinamool Congress) have stopped taking recourse to bandh three years ago."

The Left parties, which are supporting the bandh on February 21 and 22, should instead hold agitations against the Centre on issues over which the proposed two-day strike have been called as the bandh would 'serve no purpose and cause immense harm to the economy.'

"Let them (Left trade unions) agitate over the issues on which they have called bandh instead of causing economic disruption and sufferings to the daily wage earners ... There seems to be a quota of calling two bandhs in a year (by the Left). We will not allow forcible enforcement of the bandh.

Banerjee said the the administration would take the required steps if the bandh was enforced. "I urge traders and industrialists to keep their establishments and shops open on those days and to the daily wage earners to go to their work."

"At a time when we are trying to put the economy back on rails they (Left) want to stop everything", she said alleging that state was left bankrupt by the earlier Left Front government which left behind a debt burden of Rs 2.3 lakh crore.