Trinamool bandh cripples life in Kolkata

KOLKATA: The 12-hour Bangla Bandh called by Trinamool Congress on Monday crippled normal life in Kolkata and elsewhere in the state. Shops and business establishments, schools and colleges remained closed and there was poor attendance in both government offices and private establishments throughout the state.

The Left Front, however, claimed that the bandh was only partially successful and that too because of the fear psychosis created by Trinamool Congress leaders.

Trinamool Congress had called the bandh to protest the alleged police atrocities on their leader Mamata Banerjee and several other party leaders at Singur on September 25. The party had opposed the Left Front government’s decision to acquire farmland for the Tata Motors small car unit at Singur.

In a statement, Mamata Bnerjee thanked the people of the state and the Congress for the success of her bandh.
“Today’s bandh was a silent but powerful protest that showed how little confidence people have in the state government. We hope the state government will be able to understand today’s message from the people. We urge them not to rob farmers of their land at Singur and instead provide non-agricultural land for industry to progress,” Mamata said in her statement.

Congress leader and former Kolkata mayor Subrata Mukherjee who held a joint press conference with Trinamool Congress leaders at the latter’s party office claimed only 8 per cent attendance was reported at the Writers’ Buildings, the state administrative headquarters.

Trinamool Congress leader Ajit Panja however, demanded that the land which the state government had acquired at Singur be returned to the farmers and fresh land (non farm) be acquired for the proposed Tata small car venture.

Mr Panja claimed the state administration at the behest of CPM leadership had tried to foil the bandh. “The police fired two rounds on Trinamool Congress supporters at Jhargram in north Bengal. Trinamool Congress offices at Asansol in Burdwan district, Daspur in Midnapore were ransacked by CPM cadres,” Mr Panja alleged.

He said about 5,000 Trinamool Congress activists, including the party MLAs Arjun Singh and Ujjal Chatterjee were arrested from different parts of the state. Charged with Monday’s successful bandh, Trinamool Congress has decided to observe October 15 as Lajjya divas (to remind the government about the shameful police action on Mamata Banerjee).

Party leaders will also march to Singur from the Gandhi statue in the city maidan area on October 29 to express solidarity with the farmers who have lost their land.

But here’s what Left Front chairman Biman Bose had to say. “In many areas, Trinamool activists attacked drivers and conductors of state transport corporation buses. They had also kidnapped the cabin man near Rishra railway station in Hooghly district to disrupt rail movement. Naturally, many people thought it better not to go out risking their lives,” he claimed.

Mr Bose complained that Trinamool was opposing construction of Tata Motors factory at Singur. But during the bandh day, 38 farmers and others who had handed over their land to the government, had got cheques at Singur.
He said “ sponsors of Monday’s bandh were anti-industry and anti-development forces”.