West Bengal Government Urges Public To Ignore BJP's 12-Hour Strike

The West Bengal government has called on citizens to disregard the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) planned 12-hour general strike on August 28. State officials have pledged to implement measures to maintain normal operations throughout the day.

The BJP announced the strike, scheduled from 6 AM to 6 PM, in response to police actions against participants in the recent 'Nabanna' march to the state secretariat. However, Chief Advisor to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Alapan Bandopadhyay, emphasized that public transportation will continue to function and encouraged businesses to remain open. He also instructed state government employees to report for work as usual.

In a separate but related development, over 100 prominent women from Bengal's film industry have united to address workplace safety concerns. This action comes in the wake of widespread outrage following the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Hospital. The group, which includes renowned figures such as director Aparna Sen and actors Rupa Ganguly and Swastika Mukherjee, has penned a letter to key industry organizations including the state-run Tele Academy, the Eastern India Motion Picture Association, and the West Bengal Motion Picture Artistes Forum.

This dual focus on maintaining public order during political protests and addressing safety concerns in the entertainment industry highlights the complex challenges facing West Bengal's government and society in the current climate.