War of words between CITU and Trinamool before September 2 strike

Kolkata: Trade union CITU on Sunday warned the West Bengal government against attempts by the administration to thwart the nation-wide strike on September 2 even as senior Trinamool Congress leader Subrata Mukherjee said the state government will help people “foil” the strike.

“If Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wants to impose war on the people then there will be war. We are warning the Trinamool Congress and it is better that they pay heed to it,” Shyamal Chakrabarty, state president of CITU, told reporters here.

“If the chief minister along with her thugs and police try to forcibly foil the strike then we will retaliate,” he said.

Central trade unions, including Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), have called for a nation-wide strike on September 2 to protest against proposed labour reforms.

Left Front chairperson Biman Basu also warned the government “not to play with fire”.

“State government, don’t play with fire…The policy of oppressing people will not succeed,” Bose said adding that they will do everything to make the strike successful.

Meanwhile, Subrata Mukherjee, also the Panchayat minister, said the state government will help the people “foil” the strike.

“We are against bandh. … The administration will work to maintain peace in the state. If someone wants to go to office and faces trouble, the administration will help them,” Mukherjee told reporters.

In reference to CPI(M) state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra’s remark that Wednesday’s bandh would “create a new history”, Mukherjee said, “They have already created history by goondaism during their 34-year-rule in the state. Now they are again trying to take up goondaism to create another history but that will not help them in anyway.

“I think if they continue to do such things this party (CPIM) will cease to exist and only few people will remain there,” the TMC leader said.

Mukherjee said through the bandh, the Left parties were “actually trying to derail state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s development works”.

—PTI