The industrial strike and ‘Gramin Bandh’ organized by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and central trade unions across the nation on Friday encountered a lackluster response in Tripura. The bandh was orchestrated to protest against the policies of the central government.
Reports indicate that vehicular movement, agricultural activities, and industrial operations across the state continued without disruption, with no significant protests by Left bodies except for a few in the capital town of Agartala. Both private and government offices, along with village shops, remained open throughout the day.
Although leaders of the state committee of the central trade union were witnessed protesting in Agartala alongside representatives and workers of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha state committee, they maintained that the ‘bandh’ in rural areas witnessed substantial participation from the working class.
During a press conference in Agartala on Friday noon, CITU leaders Sankar Prasad Dutta and former minister Manik Dey asserted, “A large section of people, including workers in industries, farmers, teachers, shopkeepers, and others, participated in the bandh in significant numbers today.”
While acknowledging the lack of enthusiasm for the bandh in Tripura, the CITU leaders highlighted successful demonstrations in other parts of the country. Dutta stated, “Commencing from the Southern regions, sea ports, and industries ceased operations as workers, including farmers in rural areas, brought their work to a standstill to protest against the policies of the Modi government as part of the industrial strike and Gramin bandh.”
He further claimed, “In Tripura, we observed significant support for the Gramin bandh despite not calling for a general strike today. Additionally, we refrained from organizing picketing in any part of the state. However, in some instances, drivers of various vehicles, reluctant to operate their vehicles today, reportedly faced pressure from the BMS.”
Despite claims of success in other regions, Tripura’s response to the industrial strike and Gramin bandh reflected a subdued participation, underscoring the diverse sentiments and reactions to the protest call across different states.
