Jalpaiguri shut in Cong strike Little effect near Siliguri

(Above) The deserted Head Post Office More in Jalpaiguri town during the strike on Wednesday; Deepa Das Munshi at Mohan Bose’s house in Jalpaiguri on Wednesday. Pictures by Biplab Basak

TT, June 19: Jalpaiguri town stayed shut this morning in response to the 12-hour strike called by the Congress to protest the attack on its leader Mohan Bose and the death of a supporter allegedly in the hands of Trinamul.

Businesses in the towns of Alipurduar and Malbazar were also shut. The tea gardens, which were kept outside the strike’s purview, and train movement were unaffected, except for a lone track blockade.

But in areas where Trinamul is dominant such as the outskirts of Siliguri town, the strike had little impact as ruling party leaders, led by minister Gautam Deb went to several areas and requested traders to open their shops.

Since morning, private transport was off roads, shops and establishments, banks and educational institutions were closed throughout the district’s main towns and rural areas.

The attendance was low in most government offices.

On June 13, a group of alleged Trinamul workers attacked Mohan Bose, the Jalpaiguri Congress president, in the Rajganj block of the district. He was injured in the left eye.

Today, Union minister and Congress leader Deepa Das Munshi visited Bose at his home.

The same day that Bose was attacked, Suryamohan Debnath, a Congress worker, was murdered at Palashtoli village in Alipurduar.

The Congress accused Trinamul for organising the attacks and in protest called the strike today.

“Trinamul is simply continuing the gory tradition of the 34 years’ regime of the Left. We condemn the attacks and will soon launch an intensive movement in protest of such barbarous attacks on our leaders,” she said.

“Today’s strike has turned out to be total. This indicates the spontaneous support of people who have condemned the attacks,” she said.

Today morning, Congress workers blocked rail tracks in Jalpaiguri town station and halted the NJP-bound Haldibari passenger. They withdrew the blockade after 15-20 minutes when police officers intervened.

No other disruption in train movement has been reported after that.

Trinamul leaders, who had announced yesterday that they would oppose the strike, came out on the streets in Siiguri today.

Around 200 workers, led by north Bengal development minister Deb went to several areas under the Bhaktinagar police station and urged businessmen and the local people to come out.

K. Jayaraman, the commissioner of Siliguri metropolitan police, said 30 bandh supporters have been arrested from Sevoke Road for forcibly implementing the strike.

Amit P. Javalgi, the superintendent of police of Jalpaiguri, said no arrests or untoward incidents have been reported in other parts of the district.