Mamata's own stint as the Opposition leader was marked often by violent bandhs and rallies. She has now learnt the futility of it all, she says. The chief minister's crown often changes the way of looking at things!
Agreed, that it is the government’s duty to minimise the effect of strikes and lockouts. Agreed that a strike means huge financial losses for the state. But does our honourable chief minister Mamata Banerjee actually care?
Apparently she does, because she has taken all measures to oppose the January 28 strike called by trade unions.
But remove the veil of “apparentness”, and you will find that she seems to be using this opportunity for her own interests. She is more bent on putting down the Opposition than thinking about the state. Her intentions are very clear with the circular issued on February 22 evening which said that any “government employee’s absence from work on the day will be regarded as break of service”. This clearly shows that she cares about her own ego and honour more than the people of the state. By such a move, she has actually declared a war on the people of Bengal.
A bandh or strike means disruption or deficiency in transport services. There is also this general fear of getting into trouble in a politically tense situation. These problems persist for all — irrespective of whether they support a strike or not.
Is it so difficult so difficult for her to understand this? Something that I can comprehend as a school student — that in this situation, numerous government employees in the state will have to put their lives at stake and take difficult measures to reach their workplaces.
It is quite unreasonable on the part of the government because, on one hand, they cannot guarantee a peaceful strike while on the other hand, they are forcing people to come to work. Irrespective of whatever happens. And when something unfortunate indeed happens, our honourable chief minister will shed some tears, give some fiery speeches blaming the Left and announce some compensation, as was her wont during her miserable stint as the railways minister. And if the affected person happens to come from the other side of the political spectrum, then its worse — according to her, the unfortunate incidents may not have happened or were the results of CPM’s internal strife.
As Surya Kanta Mishra, leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, has pointed out the government has no power to issue such a circular on the day of a strike, and if need be, the matter will be taken to court.
This is clearly an attack on democracy. To put one person’s ego over the general welfare is nothing but declaring a war on people.
[...] Chief Minister” is called off. It is time she is told, in no uncertain terms, that she should stop shedding crocodile tears for the poorest of the poor. It is time people realised that she is no defender of the [...]