West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday called upon workers to oppose the nation-wide strike on February 28 and appealed to them “not to fall prey” to provocation.
“Let me tell you one thing: Do not allow roads to be obstructed. Do not allow any bandh to take place. Keep the State moving. Keep the transport system moving. Keep yourselves moving,” Ms. Banerjee told a gathering of unorganised sector workers here.
Calling upon the workers “not to fall prey to provocations from supporters of the strike”, she said, “Do not get involved in trouble.”
On February 21, Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh had issued a circular to government employees saying it would be mandatory for them to report for duty on February 28 and no leave would be allowed on the day.
Any attempt to disrupt normal life would be firmly dealt with, the circular said.
On Friday, Transport Minister Madan Mitra said as per the chief secretary’s circular, employees staying away from work would face deduction of leaves and salary and might also lose seniority or face discontinuation of service.
In an apparent response to Opposition CPI(M)’s criticism of her government for opposing the strike, the chief minister said, “I have told (Labour Minister) Purnendu Basu, if anyone does not want to work, relieve him. If someone wants to work, promote him. Enough is enough. I will not allow daltantra (party politics). There will only be democracy.”
Describing the poor as the ‘biggest asset’, Ms. Banerjee said, “Keep faith in the government. The government has confidence in you.”
She said workers of the unorganised sector were with her government.
In an apparent reference to a section of the Congress, Ms. Banerjee said, “I have seen that some people tend to raise a hue and cry over a petty matter. They cannot see that lakhs and lakhs of people are living beautifully with their rights safeguarded.”
Stating that there were some who were “agents” of the CPI(M) during the 34-year Left Front rule, she said, “We will not encourage them any more. Those who provoke, will be considered a plotter. Those who encourage conspirators are also conspirators. These people were quiet during the CPI(M) regime.
“It is this section of the people who kept their eyes closed during the atrocities over land acquisition at Singur, Nandigram and Netai.”
People are living in peace in the State. They have regained their rights. This may be causing discomfort to a small section of the people, she said.
“We will not allow anyone to play the band of CPI(M) anymore. We will be playing the band of Ma , Mati and Manush (Mother, motherland and mankind).”
