'Bharat Bandh' call receives partial response in Bengal

Kolkata:The 'Bharat Bandh' called on Tuesday by the farmer unions to press for the repeal of the Central government's newly passed farm laws received partial response in West Bengal with protesters burning the effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, business honchos Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani on Jessore Road here.

The protesters staged a road blockade near Lake Town and Bangur virtually choking the the key arterial stretch that connects Shyambazar through Dum Dum.

West Bengal's Left Front-backed organisations also gathered at Kolkata's Jadavpur 8-B bus stand area supporting the shutdown call on Tuesday.

They will take out a rally extending support to the shutdown call.

Tram and bus services were also disrupted in Kolkata's College Street area as agitators staged protests on Tuesday morning.

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) youth arm members also demonstrated at Esplanade area in support of the shutdown.

Appealing to the people to join the shutdown, farmer leaders said they will block key roads during their 'chakka jam' protest from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday as part of their nation-wide stir.

West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress has extend "moral support" to the nationwide strike and in solidarity will stage sit-ins in various parts of the state for the next three days.

The state's incumbent formation, however, said that it would not enforce the strike called by the farmers as the party is against bandh culture.

"We support the issues raised by the farmers. We will hold protest programmes and sit-in demonstrations. The farmers have our moral support," veteran Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Roy said.

Making the appeal on behalf of 16 Left and associate parties, West Bengal Left Front (LF) chairman Biman Bose already urged the people of the state to make Bharat Bandh a grand success.

A rally is likely to be organised by 16 Left and associate parties from Entally market at 11 a.m. which would be attended by Biman Bose, Surya Kanta Mishra and many senior CPI-M leaders.

In support of the shutdown, Left organisations and the Congress jointly took out a rally this morning in Birbhum's Rampurhat area.

In Bankura district, the farmers staged a sit-in demonstration near Govindonagar while transport workers in the district suspended daily public transport services there in solidarity with the farmers.

In Jalpaiguri's Dhupguri area, LF-backed protesters also disrupted public transport services in support of the 'Bharat Bandh'.

Meanwhile, the Centre has issued an advisory directing all the states governments and Union Territories to tighten security and ensure peace is maintained throughout the country during the 'Bharat Bandh'.

The farmer leaders also said that no one should be forced to participate in the shutdown, adding it is a four-hour symbolic bandh for an ideological cause.