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The CITU-backed transport unions have called for a 24-hour transport strike on July 31 across the State to protest the hike in fuel prices.
“We are left with no option other than calling for a strike. All Government and private buses, mini-buses, auto rickshaws, trucks, and lorry unions will take part in the strike,” Mr Shyamal Chakraborty, State President of the CITU said at a press conference on Thursday.
Petrol and diesel prices went up in seven states including West Bengal on Wednesday following readjustments by the oil marketing companies based on local levies. In Kolkata, the diesel price increased by 92 paise to Rs 44.66 a litre and petrol price went up by Rs 2.52 to Rs 76.13 .
Mr Chakraborty added that the Sstate government should take the responsibility to subsidise fuel prices. He pointed out that the CITU would not push for a fare hike to ensure that the increase in fuel prices was not passed on to the passengers.
The West Bengal Chief Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee, however, declared that the Government would take every step to break the strike. “We don’t support this strike. We will take tough measures, if any employee of the State Government-run transport corporations does not join work on July 31,” Ms Banerjee said.
She threatened to cancel the licence of the bus operators if they take out their buses on Tuesday. Ms Banerjee said that she was already burdened with Rs 600 crore annual subsidy to the State-run transport corporations. The State Government would not be able to afford the loss incurred in another transport strike, she added.
Later, Mr Chakraborty also criticised the chief minister’s reactions on the strike and demanded withdrawal of the increased rates of fuel price in the State.
“When she was in the opposition, she used to regularly demand that the State Government lower taxes on petro-products whenever the prices were hiked,” Mr Chakraborty pointed out
> ayan.pramanik@thehindu.co.in
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