The Hindu Business Line : Kerala chambers hit out at `hartal culture'

AS the Trade Union Sponsoring Committee in Kerala has called for a 24-hour general strike from Monday midnight, the four Chambers in the State have come out strongly against this practice of paralysing the business and industrial activities so frequently.

"Apart from causing inconvenience to the common man, the bandh culture has seriously affected trade and commerce of the State," the Chambers said in a joint statement. A recent study by one of the Management Associations has found that the industry in the State suffers an estimated loss of Rs 700 crore a day due to `hartal/bandh'.

The Chambers said that they did not intend to enter into an argument on the question of expressing protest by any quarter against what it felt unjust and unreasonable.

"What we oppose is the method they adopt to achieve their so-called ultimate goal. It is pertinent to mention that out of 365 days in a year, the actual number of working days, excluding 52 Sundays, 13 national and festival holidays and 36 days' eligible leave, will be only 264. But the State has a `unique type of holidays' of 15 to 20 days on account of hartals," the statement said.

Apart from the untold miseries to the common man and the damage inflicted on all kinds of economic related activities in the State, the experience so far has been that no tangible result is forthcoming on the issues for which the `hartals' are observed, it said.

The Government has been trying to allure investors to Kerala. It is needless to mention that any entrepreneur, even a Keralite, before investing his hard-earned money will think twice about it. This is the time for introspection by all. A State with highest literacy and the best climatic conditions is being allowed to be hijacked by these hartals, the statement added.

"We, therefore, urge the State Government to initiate stringent action against those who declare `hartals' and prevent citizens from carrying on their normal avocations. We also urge the citizens of the State to protest in whatever possible manner and defeat the `bandhs/hartals' called by various political outfits."

The signatories to the joint statement are Mr C.P. Jain, President, Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Mr A.K. Nair, President, Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Mr K.S. Sabu, President, Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Mr M.K. Koshy, Chairman, CII (Kerala).

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