BJP flays strike

While the CPI(M) "congratulated" the working class on making the nationwide strike today a big success, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attacked the Left for not giving any clear reason for going on the strike.

The Left said the strike "serves as a warning to the government not to embark upon changes in labour laws without first holding talks with trade unions". However, the BJP said this was humbug.

"The Left is supporting the UPA government, and is protesting against an alleged policy of privatisation, which the government says it has given up under pressure from the Left, where is the cause to go on strike?" said Arun Jaitley, BJP general secretary.

Jaitley said the UPA-Left mock fight was not fooling anybody. "This is a mock fight because the government has stopped disinvestment, foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail and the BHEL disinvestment is in the backburner. The Left has actually no cause for complaint with the government," he said.

"As for airport modernisation plans that Indian Airlines employees are protesting against, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya has already demanded that a greenfield project for Kolkata airport with 100 per cent foreign direct investment be considered," he said.

"The Left is pretending to flex its muscles, however, a full day's strike means that the economy has to suffer," he added.

The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) the trade union arm of the BJP has decided to stay away from the strike.