'No bandh, all establishments & public transport services to operate normally'

MP  |  28 Feb 2022   |  Kolkata: After the BJP gave a call for 12-hours 'Bangla bandh' alleging rigging of votes and attack on opposition members during the civic polls, the state government on Sunday stated through a communiqué that it was against any strike and directed all state-run and private establishments, schools and colleges, industrial establishments and transport to function normally on Monday.

"As a matter of principle, the state government is opposed to strikes or bandhs, as it disrupts normal life and causes inconvenience to the people and affects their livelihood. In view of the above, the state government has decided that government and private establishments, schools and colleges, shops, markets, industrial establishments, transport etc will remain open and function normally. State government will take all necessary measures to ensure that all establishments and services function smoothly and that there is no disruption," the communiqué read.

Any attempt towards forcible closure or disruption of any Central or state government offices, transport, private and industrial establishments will be dealt with seriously. All the employees have been asked to join their duties and no leave will be granted, the communiqué stated.

Chief secretary H K Dwivedi held a virtual meeting in late evening with DMs, SPs and commissioners of the Police Commissioneartw and asked them to take measures to ensure normal activities on Monday.

The Finance department brought out a memorandum stating that absence of employees on Monday will be treated as 'dies non' and no salary will be admissible unless such absence is covered by grounds like hospitalization, bereavement in the family, severe illness and absence continuing prior February 25 or those who hasd been on child care leave, maternity leave, medical leave and earned leave sanctioned prior to February 25.

All heads of offices have been directed to issue show-cause notice to the employee(s) concerned who will remain absent on Monday asking him/her to explain why action would not be taken against him/her for such unauthorised absence. On receipt of satisfactory reply, leave due and admissible may be granted on production of documentary evidence on the grounds mentioned above.

"Those who will not respond to the Show-Cause notice will be liable to disciplinary action. All course of action in terms of this order should be completed by the 14th March, 2022 and compliance report on action taken should be sent to this Department," read the Finance department memorandum.

The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) party has also opposed the strike. TMC national vice-president Partha Chatterjee alleged that the party had deliberately tried to malign the state government and stall the all-round development of state. "No major incident broke out and the election was held peacefully. There may be stray incidents in 15 booths across the state, which is less that 1 per cent of total number of booths. The opposition parties do not have the organisation to fight the election. They create trouble infront of a section of print and electronic media to get political mileage," he added.

"Since Trinamool Congress had come to power in 2011, the bandh culture in the state had become a matter of the past. BJP is trying to bring back those dark days when bandh was called on every issue. The bandh culture does not exist in Bengal any more," he maintained.

Firhad Hakim, coordinator of Trinamool Congress, said there would be rallies in every block on Monday after 4pm to protest against BJP's attempt to malign the state government. "People of Bengal have seen their behavior and will not forgive them," he maintained.