Opinion - Letters to the Editor

The nationwide strike

That the Left-backed trade unions called a nationwide general strike on Thursday to oppose the "anti-people" economic policies of the UPA Government is amazing. Those who joined the strike in large numbers such as employees of banks, oil sector, airport authority, insurance and telecommunications essentially belong to the elite segment.

On the other hand, the effect of the strike on the hapless citizens was devastating. The closure of banks for two consecutive days, for instance, has thrown people's lives out of gear. The Left supports the UPA Government. Hence it is equally accountable for all its actions.

Brijesh Barthwal,
Lucknow

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The promise of more "frequent and longer-duration strikes" by Gurudas Dasgupta if the UPA Government does not reverse its policies is reflective of arrogance born of the numbers in Parliament. Humorist Richard Armour's words, "in politics, of late, there is more concern about left and right than right and wrong" are not just meant to evoke laughter but also to make us think of what our nation is headed for.

T.S. Gopal,
Chennai

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The response to the strike call was splendid. It was a clear manifestation of the anger of the working class at the harmful economic policies being pursued by the UPA Government. It was a warning to the Government against violations in implementing the National Common Minimum Programme. The Government should realise that the intentions of the Left parties are genuine. Even though they support the Government, they do not fight shy of agitating for people's issues.

S.R. Krishnamurthy,
Thanjavur, T.N.

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The general strike was evidence of what organised trade unions can do to justify their existence. But it missed the real and genuine working class in the private sector, reeling under conditions created by globalisation. In fact, no union is taking up issues in the new economy industries such as telecom, private airlines, entertainment, courier services and so on. The strike highlighted the demands of those who are fairly well paid and enjoy better working benefits and service conditions.

Nisha Gopalan,
Chennai

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The strike has resulted in losses that run into crores in terms of banking transactions, people being unable to get to work on time either because flights were cancelled or because other transport unions joined in the strike. It is time the UPA Government snapped ties with the Left because it cannot continue to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds. I hope the Left parties are made to pay up as the BJP and the Shiv Sena were for the losses caused during the Mumbai bandh in 2003.

S. Jagadish,
Bangalore

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The success of the nationwide strike is an embarrassment to the UPA Government. How can the Government go ahead with reforms in the face of such obstacles? While the Congress should free itself from the shackles of the Left parties as soon as possible, the communists should realise that they cannot have the cake and eat it too.

R.K. Singhal,
Swindon, U.K.

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The Left parties are highly critical of the Manmohan Singh Government's "anti-people" policies but are still extending support to it. This obviously means strategies and expediency are more important to them than programmes and policies. If the communist parties seriously feel the Government is anti-poor, why continue to support it? The reasoning that their support to the UPA Government is meant to keep the BJP out of power is negative.

N.S. Venkataraman,
Chennai

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Workers no doubt have a right to go on strike to protect their interests. The common people should be willing to suffer a measure of inconvenience for the sake of their brethren. But was the situation of such serious nature that it warranted a nationwide strike that crippled the economy and created a cascading effect? With most financial reforms and restructuring proposals already on the backburner thanks to the Left parties, one wonders what the real purpose of the strike was. It appears that the strike had less to do with the redress of genuine grievances and was more an exercise by the Left-led unions to reassert their might and supremacy. Such an approach is short sighted as it only hurts the workers' interests in the long run.

J.M. Manchanda,
New Delhi

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The one-day strike is clearly an attempt by the Left parties to gain political mileage. Instead of fighting from within, they should withdraw support and take the UPA Government head on for its anti-people policies.

Just as the BJP and the Shiv Sena were directed by the Supreme Court to cough up Rs.20 lakhs each as compensation for the losses incurred during the Mumbai bandh, the parties that held the nation to ransom on Thursday should also be made accountable.

H.P. Murali,
Bangalore

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What useful purpose has the strike served? The striking workers should realise that there are millions of qualified and educated unemployed waiting in the wings to take their place should the need arise.

S.S. Saripelli,
Visakhapatnam, A.P.

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It is unfortunate that bank employees have not yet realised that by striking work, they not only lose the support of the people but also incur their wrath. For no fault of theirs, except that they maintain their accounts with these banks, the customers have been put to inconvenience.

Knowing fully well that banks are closed to the people on September 30, trade unions called for a strike on September 29. It is time strikes in banks were banned.

Tharcius S. Fernando,
Chennai

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West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's advice to demonstrators in Kolkata to keep to one side of the street and not to force anyone into supporting the strike is reflective of a change in his attitude to strikes, bandhs and agitations that cripple life. It is an attempt at correcting the commonly held view that stalling work and disrupting development activities are the hallmark of communists.

V.P. Ramesan,
Tripunithura, Kerala

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