The central trade unions, who have called an all India general strike on September 2, on Tuesday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of opposing the strike to protect the interests of the BJP-led central government.The Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government has come out with a tough circular threatening stern action not only against employees who fail to turn up on September 2, but also against those who remain absent a day prior and the next working day after the strike.Banerjee herself has asked the people to act against the strike and promised to provide compensation if property is damaged by strike supporters.On Tuesday, however, the ten central trade unions, including the Left trade unions and the Congress, claimed the strike would be total across the state.
Centre of Indian Trade Unions state president Shyamal Chakraborty ridiculed Banerjee's belligerent stand, saying: "She set up her party by breaking away from the Congress on January 1, 1998."And during the next 13 years, that is before she became chief minister in 2011, she called as may as 72 shutdowns. And now she is trying to threaten us by slapping police cases." Chakraborty said though the strike has been called against the "anti-worker policies" of the BJP-led central government and not against Banerjee's administration, she was opposing it "to protect the BJP's interests".The Kolkata Municipal Corporation, run by the Trinamool, has already put up hoardings across the city asking people to foil the strike.INTUC state president Ramen Pandey termed the KMC's act as "irresponsible".Meanwhile, the bank officers association has also extended its support to the strike.The All India Bank Officers Confederation (AIBOC), which represents a large number of officers working in public sector banks, has sided with the demands put up by the trade unions.