M A I N   N E W S

General strike hits life
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, May 11 — Normal life was disrupted today as the movement of rail, road and air traffic was affected, factories and banks were mostly closed throughout the country in a strike call given by trade unions and frontal outfits of Left parties in protest against the economic reforms of the government.

Though the strike was generally peaceful, there were sporadic incidents of violence in Andhra Pradesh where police arrested 2,000 activists ahead of the strike and hundreds of protesters were held in Tamil Nadu for blocking road and rail traffic.

The nationwide strike had been called in protest against the “retrograde” economic, industrial and “anti-poor” policies of the Vajpayee government.

Factory workers, bank and insurance companies’ employees and activists of trade unions and major opposition parties marched through the streets and held demonstrations resenting privatisation of public sector undertakings, opening up of the economy and cut in subsidies of foodgrains and fertilisers.

“It was a complete strike with all activities in six states coming to a standstill and an estimated two crore workers, including those from the unorganised sectors, small scale industry, participated in the strike,” the National Platform of Mass Organisations (NPMO), which had given the call, said.

Addressing a press conference here, NPMO leaders claimed that the functioning in almost all offices of the life insurance, general insurance and banks,barring the State Bank of India and post offices, was paralysed.

The strike witnessed the involvement of people from all sections of society who squatted on the picketline, organised dharnas, rasta-roko agitations and formed human chains.

“The strike was total in Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Tripura and Kerala and partially successful in other states,” said Mr K.L. Mehendra of the All-India Trade Union Congress, a constituent of the NPMO.

“In the financial sector, including banking and insurance, the strike was total throughout the country,” he told reporters, adding that the agitation was particularly successful in the coal belt and industrial units, including the small-scale sector.

“The manner in which workers responded and even labour force from agricultural, small and other unorganised sectors joined the strike showed that a national opinion was being created against the economic policies of the government and the surrender of country’s economic sovereignty before the WTO and the IMF,” said CITU President and CPM MP E Balanandan.

The “overwhelming response to the strike only showed the depth of the crisis the workers find themselves in and the intensity at which they want to oppose such retrograde policies,” CITU General Secretary M.K. Pandhe said.

The NPMO leaders claimed that work was nearly paralysed in insurance and banking sectors with the workers staging demonstrations in a number of places.

Employees of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) held demonstrations and stayed away from work to join the strike.

The class III employees of the RBI all over the country observed a total strike, a statement by the All-India Reserve Bank Employees Association (AIRBEA) said.

The RBI employees are directly affected by the fall-back of such retrograde policies in the country’s central bank vis-a-vis the proposal to dismember the RBI,” it said.

The All-India Insurance Employees’ Association in a press note claimed that no work could be transacted in any office of the LIC, GIC and banks in the Capital.

Oppn stalls Parliament work
Tribune News Service & UNI

NEW DELHI, May 11 — Opposition parties today paralysed all work in Parliament forcing the adjournment of both Houses without any business being transacted with agitated members demanding a rollback of the hike in prices of essential commodities.

The Lok Sabha, which was adjourned twice earlier amid uproarious scenes with members trooping into the well of the House, was finally adjourned for the day in the afternoon as Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was sitting in the House to make an important statement on India’s population crossing the one billion mark.

As the din continued, Speaker G.M.C. Balayogi repeatedly requested the members to resume their seats to enable the Prime Minister to make “an important statement”. However, the members were unrelenting and continued to raise slogans demanding the withdrawal of the price hike.

While Left members and those from the Samajwadi Party and the RJD rushed to the well of the House, Congress members continued to shout “rollback, rollback”.

A similar scene prevailed in the Rajya Sabha which was adjourned for the day soon after it had reassembled at 2 pm following the disruption in the pre-lunch session.

The Chairman, Mr Krishan Kant, had earlier adjourned the House twice as the entire Opposition raised anti-government slogans demanding a cut in subsidy on foodgrains and fertilisers.

When the House reassembled after the lunch break, the Deputy chairperson, Ms Najma Heptullah, finding the members to be in no mood to allow the normal functioning, adjourned the House for the day.

Earlier, in the din, Mr Suresh Pachouri (Cong) could be heard shouting that Mr Vajpayee was responsible for the recent price hike of essential commodities, including kerosene and cooking gas.

As the Upper House assembled for the day, the non-Congress opposition was on its feet raising anti-government and pro-worker slogans. Some Congress members also joined the chorus.

Mr Pachouri was heard shouting that the poor man had been hit the most by the price rise. The increase in the prices of urea has caused lot of hardship to the farming community.

Strike evokes mixed response
From Tribune Reporters and UNI

CHANDIGARH, May 11 — The nationwide general strike call, given by the National Platform of Mass Organisations, today evoked a mixed response in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. Though the essential services like power and water supply remained normal in both states, banks and LIC offices remained non-functional in protest against the privatisation of banking and insurance sectors.

Activists of the Punjab unit of the CPM and the CPI blocked traffic, held processions and rallies, causing disruption to traffic movement at several places in the state. The employees of the Punjab Roadways depots in Ludhiana and Chandigarh observed a complete strike, causing decline in the frequency of bus services across the state, police sources said here.

The Bandh remained peaceful as no major incident was reported from any part of the region.

YAMUNANAGAR: Barring banks, the strike call by various employees’ organisations did not have any effect in the district on Thursday buses plied smoothly and water and electricity supply was normal. Bank employees assembled at Nehru Park here and raised slogans against the economic policies of the government.

Mr Anil Dange, assistant general secretary of the Bank Employees Federation of India Haryana, Mr Bajinder Kamboj, state secretary of the State Bank of Patiala, and Mr Vipin Mehta of Canara Bank attacked the government for its “anti-labour policies” by inviting multi-national companies into the country.

HOSHIARPUR: There was a mixed response to the strike call here on Thursday. Employees of all nationalised banks except the State Bank of India observed a strike. About 40 per cent employees of the Punjab Roadways and the PSEB also participated in the strike.

SAMRALA: Employees of banks and the PSEB observed a strike here on Thursday. Twenty-two employees of the local telephone exchange went on a strike while seven were on leave and only two were on duty.

SHIMLA: Banking services were partially affected as clerical and subordinate staff of various banks, except the State Bank of India, observed a strike in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday.

According to reports received here, bank employees held demonstrations and organised rallies at various places in the state, which were addressed by their union leaders criticising the government’s economic policies.

In Shimla, bank employees assembled near Grindlays Bank and held a demonstration, raising slogans against the government.

They were addressed by Himachal Pradesh Bank Employees’ Federation leaders who demanded penalising defaulters of bank loans.

AMRITSAR: A day’s general strike was observed here on Thursday by more than 30,000 industrial workers and employees of banks, Punjab Roadways, Pepsu Roadways, Punjab State Electricity Board, LIC, GIC and the Municipal Corporation.

The agitators alleged that the government’s policies of privatisation, liberalisation and globalisation were being pursued under pressure from the USA and agencies like the World Bank, IMF, and the WTO.

LUDHIANA: The general strike on the call given by trade unions and other employee organisations affected normal life in the city on Thursday.

While business activity in all major commercial centres remained unaffected, all banks remained closed.

The general bus stand also wore a deserted look.

According to coordination committee secretary O.P. Mehta, the entire work force in the spinning, powerloom and engineering industry observed a strike. A big rally was also held.

Telecom employees also joined the strike.

FATEHGARH: Employees of banks, insurance, electricity, transport the FCI and various industries participated in the countrywide strike on Thursday in protest against the government’s move to privatise banking, telecom, power and insurance, disinvestment in public sector undertakings, entry of multi-national companies and “retrograde” economic and industrial policies.

More than 250 striking employees gathered in front of Punjab National Bank, Sirhind branch, and held a rally in support of their demands. The rally was addressed by Mr Hari Chand and Mr Amar Nath, president and secretary, respectively, TUC, Sirhind.