Buddhadeb's anti-bandh remarks anger party, allies

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's opposition to bandhs on Wednesday invited sharp criticism from his party and allies alike who said it was "unbecoming" on the part of a veteran marxist like him to make such remarks.
      
The opposition Congress and Trinamool dubbed it as a "volte face" and said that staging bandh was a "fundamental right" of the workers which cannnot be curtailed at the call of Bhattacharjee.
       
Kerala Chief Minister and Bhattacharjee's party colleague V S Achuthanandan resented the anti-bandh remarks.
      
"I don't think he had expressed such an opinion. If he had said so, then it is wrong," Achuthanandan said in Thiruvananthapuram.
      
West Bengal CITU General Secretary Kali Ghosh said "this is his personal belief. We have nothing to say against individual opinion.
 
"We believe workers will resort to strike as long as capitalism and exploitation are there," he said pointing out that the issue raised by Bhattacharjee should have been discussed within the party.
       
There were ripples within the Left Front with major partners CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc criticising his remarks as "undesirable from a communist leader".
      
Opposing Bhattacharjee's view, AITUC general secretary Gurudas Dasgupta, MP, said, "It is very unfortunate, more so as he is a leader of the communist movement. 

"Strike is the last resort and it does not take place off and on. It also happens in industrialised countries".
      
CPI leader D Raja expressed surprise over the remarks saying "staging bandhs is a democratic right. How can it be curbed?.
 
Addressing an industrialists' meet on Tuesday, Buddhadeb had said he was opposed to bandhs and would not allow gherao-type agitations in the state as they were "illegal".
      
Forward Bloc Secretary Ashok Ghosh said it was "unbecoming on the part of a senior Marxist to undermine workers' rights".
       
"It is amazing to note that Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has preferred to speak out against bandh at a time when workers' rights are under attack in the capitalist world," the octogenarian leader said.
      
Expressing surprise at Bhattacharjee's comments, senior RSP leader and state PWD Minister Kshiti Goswami said, "it may be that the chief minister has opened up against bandh in the midst of a meeting called by businessman."
 
Goswami said he disagreed with the view and asserted "strike is the last weapon for the working class which cannot be snatched away".
      
The RSP leader said it was to be ascertained from Bhattacharjee as to why he had been vocal against bandhs "that may cost the workers' interest".
     
State INTUC leader Subrata Mukherjee (Congress) wondered how the Marxist chief minister was uttering anti-bandh slogans "and that too in the midst of businessmen".      

"Should the workers sacrifice their right to strike at the call of Buddhadev Bhattacharjee? he asked.
     
Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy said "it is a sudden volte face on part of the chief minister".
     
"Workers' right to strike is their fundamental right and that can't be curbed," Roy said.
     
An analysis of the bandhs observed in 2008 reveals that out of the five shutdowns in the state, three had been called by Left parties like Forward Bloc, Left Front and CITU, while the remaining two had been sponsored by opposition Trinamool Congress and SUCI.

Noting that no one can question the "relevance" of modes of protests like bandhs, RSP General Secretary T J Chandrachoodan, however, said that calling bandhs on local issues should be avoided.
     
"It is true that bandhs are being misued to show strength of political parties. But you cannot question the relevance of bandh as a mode of protest," he said.
      
CPI National Secretary D Raja said terming bandhs and gheraos as "illegal" was unacceptable to his party.  

"I don't think his party (CPI-M) will agree with him," he said.
        
Forward Bloc Secretary G Deverajan said bandhs are a weapon for working class to assert their rights.
 
Terming Bhattarjee's statement as "dangerous" and "bourgeoisie", the CPI(ML) backed AICCTU claimed that it had been proved that the West Bengal government "that was formed by workers and peasants is now of the industrialists and traders".
      
"Budhha's statement is welcome as he clearly proved that the government that was formed by workers and peasants is now of the industrialists and traders. So they will not stop just by handing out land to industrialists but also deny workers their right to strike. Trade unions call strike for collective bargaining and his statement is a bourgeoisie statement," said AICCTU general secretary, Swapan Dasgupta.
      
Dasgupta compared the Chief Minister's statement with the Supreme Court judgement that disallowed government employee's their right to strike.
      
"His appraisal of the situation is one-sided. While he speaks against bandhs and strike, I would like to know if he, as a Left leader, has any word for lockout, suspension of production, default in provident fund payments, underpayment of wages, unhealthy working condition for workers and ill-treatment meted out to contract workers," said AITUC secretary.
      
He claimed that even the commitments made to Jute industry workers at the behest of the Buddhadeb government by the jute manufacturers regarding payment of their Dearnace Allowance was only partly met till date.
       
CITU Secretary Mohd Amin also voiced similar opinion saying that though trade unions are blamed for organising strikes, they are just mobilising workers for their rights.

Leading trade unionist and UTUC General Secretary Aboni Roy termed the West Bengal Chief Minister's remarks objecting to bandhs in Bengal and Left leaders in Delhi are having a change of view on bandhs  as "his personal opinion".
    
"It is unfortunate. He should have stated what he wanted in front of the trade unions and not industrialists. The West Bengal Chjief Minister's comments about taking away rights of workers were not expected. He must first sit with workers and resolve their issues before making such statements," said Roy.