Countering the 12-hour strike called by the BJP on Wednesday across the state, the West Bengal government on Monday said its offices would remain open and no leave would be granted to any of its employees on that day.
Following the alleged killing of two youths during a clash between agitating students and the police last week over the recruitment of new teachers at a school at Islampur in the state’s North Dinajpur district, the saffron outfit had called the strike claiming the two youths were shot dead by police during the clash and demanded a CBI probe into the matter.
“All the employees will need to report on that date and no casual leave for absence either in the first half or in the second half of the day or for the whole day nor any other leave shall be granted to any employee on the date,” said an official statement issued from state Secretariat 1Nabanna.
It also said the employees who are on leave on September 24 will have to report for duty on Tuesday (September 25) and no leave for a day preceding and following the proposed strike day would be allowed.
The absence of employees on those days will be treated as “dies non” and no salary will be admissible unless such is covered under hospitalization, bereavement in the family, severe illness and absence continuing prior September 24 and others, the state government said.
It asked concerned authorities to issue a show-cause notice to employees who will remain absent on September 26, it said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is currently on a 12-day tour to Europe, said the state government would not allow any shutdown to take place and accused the BJP and the Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh of engineering unrest by murdering people.