One of north Bengal’s largest trade bodies, the Malda Merchant Chamber of Commerce (MMCM), called off its business strike scheduled for Monday.
The strike was called to protest against the partial demolition of 11 shops at a commercial building in Englishbazar a few days ago.
The decision to withdraw the strike was taken after senior state government officials held a virtual meeting with MMCM leaders at the district police headquarters on Saturday evening.
Controversy erupted after the rented shops at the private commercial building were partially razed using earthmovers around 1.30am on February 10.
The owner of the building, who did not want to be named, refused to comment on the
incident.
Shop owners alleged that a section of promoters attempted to forcibly evict them and demolish the structures after failing to get them vacated through legal means.
The incident triggered widespread protests in the district’s trading and business fraternity.
MMCM office bearers rushed to the spot soon after the demolition. Two earthmovers were detained and police complaints were lodged against two individuals.
Police later arrested the owner of one of the earthmovers and another person in connection with the incident.
However, protests continued, with MMCM members alleging an “evil nexus” between certain influential Trinamool Congress leaders and a section of promoters behind the “illegal” demolition.
The chamber organised sit-in demonstrations and protest meetings before announcing the strike scheduled for Monday.
The matter was subsequently taken up by the district administration and
police.
MMCM president Jayanta Kundu explained the reason for the strike and for calling it off. “We had announced the strike in the interest of the security of our members. The strike was unanimously resolved in the meeting of all our affiliate organisations. However, since the request to withdraw the strike came from the top level of the state government with assurances that the culprits will not be spared, we are calling it off,” he said.
Kundu also said that electricity supply to the affected shops had been disconnected earlier.
“However, the state government has assured us that power will be restored,” he said.