Urging people to oppose the strike called by the central trade unions on September 2, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said people should come out without any fear and promised to provide compensation if property is damaged by strike supporters.
"The state will take responsibility to provide compensation if properties or vehicles are damaged by strike enforcers ... don't allow hooliganism by some who were defeated in the democratic election. You come out without any fear and keep everything normal," Banerjee said.
Elaborating her party's stand on strike she said: "It is our standing policy to oppose shutdown or strike. We are against it. We support some of the issues raised by the trade unions. But there is scope to discuss and raise such issues at the proper platform."
"Trinamool Congress would not support shutdowns. Strike is like a casual leave," Banerjee told reporters at the West Bengal Legislative Assembly premises.
Referring to the amount of economic loss due to a strike, she said: "The state government has been repaying a huge amount for servicing the debt, which was inherited. If we lose our revenue from such a shutdown, state will not be able to grow."
On Friday, Banerjee had said the state would not allow any strike on September 2.
The national general strike has been called by the central trade unions to protest against the "anti-people, anti-national and anti-worker" policies of the central government.
INTUC President G. Sanjeeva Reddy in July had announced that he would urge Banerjee to give her nod to Trinamool Congress's trade union wing to participate in the strike.
--IANS
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