Clashes between supporters of Left parties and ruling Trinamool Congress activists marred the all-India general strike called by the trade unions here on Wednesday, which affected normal life in West Bengal.
The strike called by trade unions was near total in Kolkata and other parts of the State. People did not venture out, and educational and commercial establishments largely remained closed in the city.
Train services, both on the Eastern Railway and the South Eastern Railway, were hit after protesters blocked trains in several areas.
Violence was reported at Berhampore in Murshidabad district and former Left MP Moinul Hasan was baton charged by police. Clashes were also reported in Birbhum between rival sections of those who tried to enforce strike and those opposing it.
Mayor of Siliguri Municipal Corporation, Asok Bhattacharya, and Communist Party of India (Marxist) Darjeeling district committee secretary Jibesh Sarkar were arrested in Siliguri.
Clashes were also reported from several areas including Konnagar in Hooghly and Asansol in Bardhaman district where party offices of CPI(M) were attacked.
Sodepur and Basirhat Railway stations in State’s North 24 Parganas turned in war zone with a group of Left supporters trying to disrupt train services and Trinamool Congress supporters trying to remove the blockade.
The strike during the day has turned into major political show down between the ruling Trinamool Congress government and the Left parties in the State the CPI(M) Left Front trying to enforce the strike and the State government applying all means to thwart it.
Though the Mamata Banerjee government has issued a circular declaring absence of government employees on the day will be treated as 'dies non' and no salary will be admissible, the attendance in the government offices was scanty.
“Our comrades are being mercilessly attacked thousands have been arrested,” Leader of Opposition in State Assembly and CPI(M) State Secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra said.
“The shutdown has been successful despite the state government’s violent tactics,” he added.
