The Left Front has called for a general 12-hour strike and hartal in West Bengal on 30th April, to protest against massive rigging in the recently held municipal elections. With the help of police and state administration, wholesale booth capturing, violent attacks on voters and opposition activists took place across the state.
This is for the first time in four years of TMC rule in West Bengal that the Left Front has called for a total strike in the state.
Calling the elections a ‘farce’, Left Front Chairman Biman Basu and CPI(M) state secretary Suryakanta Misra have called upon all democratic-minded people to register their protest against this all out assault on democracy.
Simultaneously, central trade unions have called for a general strike on 30th April. On that day all India strike of the transport workers is scheduled. Along with that, almost all central trade unions in Bengal have called for a general strike against the attack on democratic rights of the workers and people. Apart from CITU, AITUC, TUCC, UTUC, the others like INTUC, HMS have issued joint call for the general strike. Trade unions have given the call for a 24 hour strike.
Mass organizations like AIKS, AIDWA, DYFI, SFI and others have supported the strike call and appealed to all sections of people to make it a success.