Kolkata eyes first tryst with T-20 bandh; Mamata Banerjee slams ‘CPM-BJP ties’

KOLKATA: With the Left Front’s six-hour bandh on Friday against pre-panchayat poll violence, the city will have its first brush with a quarter-day protest. It also reflects a political recognition of the apathy for daylong bandhs that were once called frequently, bringing life to a grinding halt and earned Kolkata the dubious tag of a ‘city without a work culture’. Friday’s bandh is set to be a happy compromise between the right to protest and the right to a disruption-free life.

Even as Kolkata enters the era of short strikes or T-20 protests, the Left held that the bandh call was unavoidable. CPM MLA Sujon Chakrabarty said since Trinamool was patronizing violence, the opposition was not left with any other option. “The right to contest polls is a statutory right. While the state has failed to ensure that, the state election commission has done nothing to make sure that opposition candidates can file their nomination. So, we are left with no other option,” he said.

But will the city respond to a six-hour bandh at the start of the day? “We didn’t want to disrupt normal life and business in the midst of the Chaitra sale period and in the lead up to the Bengali New Year day,”

Chakraborty

said. The compromise now seems inevitable. Public opinion started turning against bandhs more than a decade ago. Protests, too, have taken on different forms including digital. Protest triggered on the social media have been as effective as bandhs, said a senior leader.

Mamata Banerjee, though, slammed the CPM again. “Now CPM goons have become BJP goons. CPM has sent them to BJP,” she said, adding that there would be no bandh on Friday. “It is best for them to hold a bandh at midnight. It will be an ideal bandh with everybody sleeping in their homes. In the midst of sleep CPM leaders will observe the bandh of their dreams.”

The CM said the CPM has sold itself to BJP. Describing the bandh as a farce, she said the CPM have no contact with the grassroots. She accused a section of the media of trying to malign the government.

Schools in Kolkata, too, gave a thumbs down to the bandh. It will be business as usual for most while some have suspended examinations and class tests for the day. Both

La Martiniere

for Boys and La Martiniere for Girls have decided to stay open. “Parents must take a call on whether they want to send their kids to school. No exams will be held,” said secretary of the board of governors, Supriyo Dhar.

St James School principal T H Ireland said the management expected no major disruption due to the short duration of bandh. Don Bosco School, Park Circus, too, will remain open and has decided to suspend exams.

Principal of St Xavier’s Collegiate School, Benny Thomas, said classes were yet to begin for the new session. “It’s only the staff who have to report to the school. If there is disturbance, then they may choose not to come.” Director of Birla High School, Mukta Nain, said the school will remain open as CBSE will hold the physical education exam for Class XII students. “For the rest, parents will have to take a call,” Nain said.

Vivekananda Mission School

has also decided to keep classes open.