Citu activists protest the hike in prices of fuel and LPG at Esplanade on Wednesday. A Telegraph picture

Two consecutive days of bandhs, courtesy the CPM and Trinamul Congress, have left the state’s IT sector in a tizzy.

The fear factor was compounded by Citu’s announcement that the IT sector does not fall in the “essential services” category and hence, will not be exempted from the bandh.

“Industrial operations that need to continue 24x7 have been exempted from the bandh. But we do not consider IT an essential service,” said Kali Ghosh, the secretary of the CPM’s labour wing. “We will not force anyone to join us on Thursday, but we’ll picket at all major crossings”.

Ghosh’s comment stood in contrast to what CPM state secretary Biman Bose had said minutes after Union petroleum minister Murli Deora announced the hike in petroleum, LPG and diesel prices.

“All essential services will be operational. I can’t suggest what is to be done for the IT sector but like steel plants, where the furnace can’t be stopped even for a day, the BPOs need to operate 24x7,” Bose said.

Trinamul supremo Mamata Banerjee, however, was more categorical in keeping IT beyond the purview of Friday’s bandh. “We have exempted the IT sector since we consider it an essential service,” said Banerjee.

But the soothing words failed to assure the bosses in Sector V, who started gearing up from Wednesday afternoon to keep their units running through the bandh days.

Most of the companies arranged for pick-ups for their employees and made “special arrangements” for those working on important projects. Those who fail to turn up on Thursday and Friday will have to come on Saturday.

“We are exasperated. This can’t continue. The bandhs are having a negative impact on the industry,” said Siddharth Mukherjee, the vice-president of Cognizant Technology Solutions.

“It is sad and depressing that we are going to have yet another shutdown,” said Bikram Dasgupta, the CEO and managing director of Globsyn Technologies.

“The price hike will affect everyone but it will be a normal working day tomorrow and the day after in all other states,” said Acclaris managing director Kalyan Kar.

The state IT department’s reaction hardly lifted the spirits in the IT hub. “We are taking all steps to keep the units running,” said IT minister Debesh Das, who refused to comment on Citu’s stand of not treating the sector on a par with “essential services”. The minister said the government would ensure that the bandh is not forced on the IT sector.

Webel, the government’s nodal IT agency, will arrange for police patrolling in Sector V and provide escort services to the professionals. “Even if the measures ensure a sizeable turnout, the twin bandhs will only boost Bengal’s bandh-savvy image,” said a IT-preneur.