West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urging the Election Commission to ban political parties calling bandhs is interesting. I think this will not be her request if her party were in Opposition. Mamta and Manmohan claim that strike call has been rejected by the people, despite the industrial sources place a national loss of Rs 26000 crore for day one strike.
In Kerala the strike was more or less peaceful. Unlike in UP or Orissa public properties were not destroyed at large by strikers, thanks to the High Court for their previous order for penalizing the strikers for the damage they cause. But this is not seen applicable for those leaders who ask people to resort to strike. If there is law to punish a political leader who invites people to go on for strike, the frequency of the strike would decrease.
In Kerala, people have learned how to convert a hartal into a festive holiday. That is why there was a huge rush before provision stores and beverages outlets on the day before the strike.
Protest is needed against the uncaring attitude of the Central Government but this sort of unproductive, loss making two-day bandh is unwarranted. Except the crippled KSRTC, there is a huge financial loss for the debt-ridden, borrow and spending Kerala state.
K A Solaman
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