People's Democracy

Tripura is preparing For Total Bandh on Dec 14 

Countrywide General strike called by the sponsoring committee of the central trade unions on December 14 would turn out to be a total Bandh in the state of Tripura. This has been resolved in a state level convention of the Tripura unit of the NPMO held at Agartala town hall on October 22, 2006. This massive convention was attended by state and sub division level leaders and workers of all mass organisations and trade-based workers’ organisations under CITU. Tapan Sen, central leader of the CITU and MP was the chief speaker in the convention. The presidium of the convention comprised the state leaders of the NPMO. 

In his address, Tapan Sen said that while framing the charter of demands the sponsoring committee did not just consider the interests of the working class of the country. “They had a broader vision to highlight the burning issues of all sections of the people, of their livelihood, protection of working people’s rights and to stop the sale of the country to the imperialists,” he said. Explaining the adverse affects of globalisation since 1991, Tapan Sen said that our self-reliant economic policy, independent foreign policy, profit-making public sectors, our vast agricultural fields, socio-economic security of the people are all mortgaged. “Globalisation not only increased impoverishment, at the same time, it had widened the gap between haves and have-nots manifold than earlier”, he said. He cited statistics to show how worldwide capital is being staggeringly accumulated in the hands of only about 100 big multi-national companies who are out to impose colonialism in a new form. He appealed the audience to herald the message of the strike to every nook and corner of the country. 

Prior to his speech, a resolution in support of the strike was moved by Pijush Nag, general secretary of state CITU that was accepted by the house amidst thunderous applause. Manik Dey, state power minister and president of the CITU, AIKS state secretary Narayan Kar, AIAWU state secretary Bhanulal Saha, Asesh Debroy of employees front and AIDWA’s state secretary Krishna Rakshit addressed the convention.