The Left Front today gave a call for a six-hour bandh in West Bengal from 6 am on April 13 in protest against "throttling of people's rights" during filing of nominations for panchayat elections in the state.
Chief Minister and ruling Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee termed this as "nothing but drama" and said everything will run as usual on Friday.
Announcing the bandh, Left Front Chairman Biman Bose said students appearing for board examinations would be exempt from its purview.
"A six-hour bandh from 6 am to 12 noon will be observed in the state on April 13 to protest throttling of people's rights," Bose told newspersons here.
The opposition parties, including the constituents of the Left Front, have been alleging that widespread violence has been committed by activists of ruling Trinamool Congress in several parts of the state during filing of nomination for the panchayat polls.
Though the process of filing of nominations for of the the three-phase elections, to be held in the first week of May, ended yesterday, the BJP and Left parties moved the Supreme Court today seeking extension of date for filing nominations, in view of alleged violence.
The apex court directed the petitioners to approach the Calcutta High Court tomorrow with their grievances.
The Left Front organised a rally here this afternoon to protest the alleged violence in the districts and inaction on the part of police and administration.
The chief minister said the state has lagged behind because of the "bandh culture" during the 34 years of the Left Front government.
"They have ruined the state by calling strike and bandhs. The filing of the nomination is just over. There is lot of work left (for the panchayat polls). The scrutiny, the withdrawal is still left," she said.
For 58,000 seats, 74,000 opposition candidates have filed their nominations, Banerjee said, adding only seven incidents of violence were reported.
She alleged that the Congress, the BJP and the CPI(M) have joined hands in West Bengal.
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