Taking a tough stand, West Bengal government today directed all its employees to report for work on September 2, when central trade unions have called a countrywide strike.
The Mamata Banerjee government has also warned that anyone who remains absent a day prior to it and the next working day will be showcased.
"It has also been decided that no leave shall be granted to any employee on the 'bandh' day, the day prior to it (September 1), and on the next working day (September 5)," a memorandum issued to the employees said.
It warned that if any employee remains absent on the three days, showcause notice will be issued to him or her seeking explanation why action should not be taken for such unauthorised absence. Dislocation of traffic will not be a reason for granting leave.
Earlier in the day, Chief minister Mamata Banerjee said, "We are against bandh. Bandh means loss of thousands of crores of rupees a day. Those who lost the election, those who were rejected by the people they have called the bandh which will harm the people."
"In view of the call given by different trade unions for bandh/strike all over the country on September 2, it has been decided that all state government offices including those provided with grants-in-aid by the state government would remain open and all employees should report for duty on that date," the notice said.
The directive said absence of employees on that date would be treated as 'dies non' and no salary would be admissible.
Exception will however be made in case of hospitalisation of employees, bereavement in the family, severe illness and those who are on leave already.
The central trade unions have given a call for a countrywide general strike on September 2 to protest the "anti-people, anti-national and anti-worker" policies of the NDA government at the Centre.
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