Mamata Banerjee: Misdirected fury?

Calcutta, April 4: As if the burns from the blazing bazaar were not enough, Mamata Banerjee has ensured more agony for the people of Bengal with another bandh.

The Trinamul Congress chief today announced a 12-hour shutdown on April 21, blaming “both the state government and the Centre” for the spiralling prices of vegetables and other commodities.

The bandh, on a Monday, would ensure an extended weekend for some but loss of livelihood for many more at a time when kitchen costs are leaving every bread-earner bruised.

Even Mamata had felt the pinch when her mother told her a few days ago that it had become impossible for her to run the household of three with the Rs 5,000 her daughter provided every month.

A section of Trinamul admitted that the bandh would do more harm than good to the party’s image.

Mamata announced the shutdown at a “law-violation programme” organised jointly with the SUCI, her new partner for the May rural polls, on Rani Rashmoni Avenue this afternoon.

“We are sorry for imposing the bandh. But we can’t help it,” she said.

“Neither the Centre nor the state government has done anything to stop the price rise. We are forced to go for the dawn-to-dusk shutdown.”

Mamata was “confident that the bandh would be spon-taneous”, but Trinamul and SUCI supporters “will be on the road to make it a success”.

Asked why, the Trinamul chief parried: “They would be there to make sure that those backing the bandh are not harassed by CPM cadres.”

Some Trinamul leaders said the main reason for the bandh call was a bid to brush up the party’s rusty organisation rather than the people’s price pangs.

“It will help her gear up her organisation before the rural polls. But her game plan might backfire as the people in the villages would be inconvenienced at a time they are busy cultivating the boro crop,” said a key party functionary.

Another Trinamul leader said the state government could not be blamed “for the price rise across India”.

“A shutdown against Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s government will send a wrong message. Didi should go for protests that do not aggravate ordinary people’s suffering.”

Congress leader Subrata Mukherjee said bandhs “don’t help bring down prices”.

“We are making an appeal to Mamata to defer the bandh till the panchayat polls since April 21 is also the last date for filing nominations,” said Mukherjee, the state Congress spokesperson.

Calcutta University’s BA, BSc and BCom Part III examinations are slated for April 21. It will hold a meeting next week to decide whether to postpone the exams.

Left Front chairman and CPM state secretary Biman Bose refused to react to the call but demanded central steps to bring down inflation.

This year’s first bandh was on February 6. Ironically, the Forward Bloc, which is part of the government, had called the bandh in protest against police firing on its rampaging supporters in Cooch Behar.

Mamata had called two bandhs last year and lent support to another.