Kolkata: Sporadic incidents of vandalism have been reported from parts of West Bengal on Tuesday during the 48-hour-long nationwide general strike called by central trade unions protesting against the ‘anti-people’ policies of the Centre. Stones were pelted at a school bus in Champadali area of Barasat in North 24 Parganas district.
A government bus was also ransacked by strike supporters at Champadali. Protestors also vandalised a bus at Jamuria in Paschim Bardhaman district. Scuffles were witnessed between police and strike supporters in some areas of the state. At Jadavpur area in south Kolkata, senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty along with several other strike supporters were detained by the police.
Protestors squatted on tracks in some places to stop trains and burnt tyres on the roads. Leaders of political parties, including the CPI(M), have come out on the streets in support of the strike. The Trinamool Congress government in the state has opposed the strike call.
The 10 central trade unions who have called the strike have placed a charter of demands that include minimum wage, universal social security, workers status and including pay and facilities for the scheme workers, against privatisation of public and government organisations.
The state government had announced that its employees would be barred from availing casual leave or half day leave on Tuesday and Wednesday. No leave will also be allowed on the day preceding the two-day strike or following it, a government notification said on Friday.
