SILCHAR, Sept 2 - The 12-hour nationwide general strike against the alleged �anti-labour� policies of the Union Government called by 10 Central trade unions on Wednesday crippled normal life here in Barak Valley.
Despite the bandh passing off peacefully with no reports of violence, over 300 cadres supporting the bandh were arrested from across the three districts. According to police, as many as 53 picketers were arrested in Silchar including 34 male and 19 female. In Kalain too, 53 cadres were arrested. Seventeen male and eight female cadres were arrested from Katigorah and seven from Borkhola in the district.
On the other hand, at least nine cadres being injured in a lathi charge during the bandh in Karimganj. Two hundred twenty two cadres were arrested in the district while 23 bandh supporters were arrested from Hailakandi.
Meanwhile, among the picketers who were arrested in the early hours of the bandh in Silchar alleged that they were kept in the make-shift jail with no water and food. Rafique Ahmed, general secretary of Cachar district CPI claimed that the general strike has been totally successful in the district. �People with their spontaneous support by keeping the shops, schools, colleges and other commercial establishments closed have responded to the Union Government�s dictatorial policies.
Leaders of CITU, INTUC AITUC echoed that the labour reforms sought by the Modi Government will be a body blow to the interest of the workers in the country. They have also said that the changes desired by the BJP Government in the labour laws will be detrimental for the working class at large.
Morigaon: Normal life was paralysed due to general strike called by All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) in central Assam Morigaon district today.
All shops and business establishments remained closed while vehicles stayed off the roads. In Morigaon 50 picketers were arrested. The labour unions members blocked the railway track at Dharatul station in Morigaon district in the morning hours halting the Kamakhya-Silghat, Jana Satabdi express trains for few hours. Police arrested the picketers and cleared the railway track.
Raha: Normal life was paralysed on Wednesday at Raha
following chakka bandh as well as general strike called by All India Federation Truck Workers Union (AIFTWU) and Centre Indian for Trade Unions (CITU) in protest against anti-people policy taken by BJP led NDA Government.
All kinds of vehicles were off the road. All business establishment, schools and colleges remained closed during the bandh hours. Almost all the offices including banks, post office and other Central and State Government remained closed due to the bandh.
Nagaon: The bandh call affected the normal life in Nagaon. Most of the vehicles except the private one and school buses were off the roads. Banks, LIC, BSNL, whole sale traders of medicine also closed their shutters.
Some picketers were arrested in Lumding who tried to stop the trains. Business establishments also remained closed. State Government offices, judicial courts and educational institutions were functioning normally. The day passed off peacefully barring few incidents.
Diphu: Along with the other parts of the country the hill district Karbi Anglong also remained partial bandh during the 12 hours bandh called by All India Central Council of Trade Union (AICCTU).
The regional political party Hills State Demand Committee (HSDC) also supported the bandh in Karbi Anglong. Government offices, educational institution schools, colleges and private establishments remained closed during the bandh.
No report of violence has been received in the district till filling of this report.
Guwahati: The 24 hours general strike called by various Central Trade Unions today affected train services in many locations for 10 to 30 minutes within the jurisdiction of NF Railway, a press release stated.
There were picketers at various stations like Guwahati, Bongaigaon, Rangiya, Rangapara North, Dharamtul, Tihu, Goreswar, Lakwa, Lumding, Karimganj and Agartala stations. As a result, train services had to be controlled at various locations. Picketers were dispersed in most of the locations leading to normalisation of train movements.
However, train number 05263 running between Agartala and Karimganj and train number 05264 running between Karimganj and Agartala had to be cancelled due to continued presence of picketers. At present all the trains are running normally.
Badarpur: The bandh passed off peacefully at Railway HQ Badarpur and at Karimganj town. No untoward incidents were reported during the bandh hours.
All sorts of educational institutions, government offices, banks, post offices, business establishments, shops and markets were totally closed.
