Mamata Banerjee tried to put down strike with iron hand: CPI

HYDERABAD: The Communist Party of India today accused the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government of trying to put down the country-wide strike called by central trade unions with an " iron hand".

CPI General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said the response to the strike in West Bengal was partial.

"In Bengal, the government has tried to put down (the strike) with iron hand. She (Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee) did not allow...threatened the transporters that there should not be any strike...very vindictive type of attitude."

"Though the strike is against the Central government, in her area (Bengal)...there should not be any strike against her will," he alleged.

Reddy claimed that the response to the strike was rather "excellent" in states such as Kerala, Puducherry, Haryana and Punjab, while it was partial in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, among others, and the "Hindi-belt".

Since there was no transport bandh in Kolkata and Mumbai, it gave an impression that there was no strike in these places, he said.

"The strike was a complete success in all the banks, insurance companies and financial institutions," he claimed.

If the Centre "does not listen" to the demands, the working class may have to go for "bigger action", Reddy said.

"Trade unions may intensify agitations in different ways," he added.

Ten central trade unions went on a one-day nationwide strike today, protesting the "anti-worker" changes in labour laws and the Centre's "indifference" to their demands for better wages.