The general strike called by central trade unions on Wednesday saw partial impact in North Bengal, including Siliguri and parts of the Terai tea belt, while tea plantations in the Dooars and the Hills remained unaffected.
In Siliguri, members of ruling party-backed INTTUC took to the streets in protest against the strike. In contrast, supporters of the CPI-M-backed CITU, other Left trade unions, and Congress workers rallied in support of the strike around the same time, leading to tension and sporadic scuffles. A brief confrontation erupted between police and supporters of CPI-ML (Liberation) after a protester allegedly pulled a police officer’s cap during the standoff. A heavy police presence was deployed across the city to maintain order.
Several business establishments remained closed, and private buses stayed off the road, causing inconvenience to commuters. Only government-run buses and a few private vehicles were seen plying, disrupting long-distance travel for passengers with urgent commitments.
CPI-M Darjeeling district secretary Saman Pathak claimed the strike had a total impact in the region. However, the response was mixed in the tea plantations. According to Rana Dey, secretary of the Terai branch of the Indian Tea Association, some gardens in the Terai region experienced disruptions. But Subhasis Mukherjee, secretary of the Dooars branch, confirmed that the Dooars plantations functioned peacefully without any impact. Similarly, Sandeep Mukherjee, principal advisor of the Darjeeling Tea Association, stated that operations in the Hill plantations continued normally.
The strike was called by the Joint Forum, a coalition of several trade unions active in the tea industry, to press for a set of long-pending demands concerning over 4.5 lakh tea workers. These include implementation of minimum wages, homestead land rights, pending gratuity and PF dues, bonus payments, housing, and medical benefits.
According to Ziaul Alam, CITU state general secretary and convenor of the Joint Forum, the strike is a continuation of the Forum’s ongoing campaign that began on June 23 with the submission of a 12-point memorandum to planters, employers’ associations, and government authorities including the Tea Board, labour directorate, and land department.
“The silence of all key stakeholders — including the Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations (CCPA), the state labour and land departments, and the Union ministry of commerce and industry — has forced us to strike,” Alam said.
Essential services such as hospital care, ambulance, water and electricity supply, pest control, and watch-and-ward duties were kept outside the purview of the strike. The Joint Forum also appealed to all tea unions and social organisations to remain united and peaceful in their protest for workers’ rightful demands.