Mamata Banerjee strikes at Left Front's bandh call

Kolkata: In a bid to foil the statewide bandh called on Monday by the Left Front to protest the demonetisation decision, the state government ordered all its employees to report to work on the day of the strike and the following day, while making it clear that absence, barring those due to bereavement, maternity leave, hospitalisation and other ‘genuine reasons’, will be treated as ‘dies non’ (no work, no pay). A notification in this regard was issued on Saturday by the state finance department.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee said the Trinamul Congress will organise rallies across the state on Monday to protest the Centre’s decision to demonetise high-value notes. “People of Bengal do not support bandhs,” Ms Banerjee told reporters while leaving the state secretariat Saturday evening.

As per the government’s notification, any employee failing to attend on both the days would compromise a day’s pay.

“No employee of the state government will be granted leave on that day. In the event of any employee remaining absent without sufficient reason, the absence will be treated as dies non,” chief secretary Basudeb Banerjee said in the presence of home secretary Moloy De.

The chief secretary added that the district magistrates and police superintendents have been instructed to take necessary measures to ensure that normal life is not disrupted on Monday.

“No violation of law and order will be tolerated. If somebody tries to enforce bandh in any establishment or office, the police will take stern action,” Mr Banerjee said.

He added that the government has held talks with the state heads of Central government services like the Railways, Metro, civil aviation and others who have assured them of normal services on Monday.

State transport minister Suvendu Adhikari said on the day, there will be 2,600 government buses plying on the road.

“The bandh culture in Bengal is dead and people are ready to foil all such attempts like they have done in the past,” he said.

Earlier on September 2, the central trade union’s call for a bandh was foiled by the state government.