Trade unions strike call evokes partial response in northeast

A countrywide shutdown on Wednesday called by 10 central trade unions (CTUs) and other organisations to protest against the Centre's economic policies evoked partial response in northeastern states.

Flights operated normally to and from northeastern states and the Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) also operated their trains in all states of the region.

No major untoward incident was reported from any of the seven northeastern states including the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Assam and Tripura.

In Assam, normal life was partially hit in most parts of the state as a large number of vehicles went off the roads and most markets were shut. Though medicine shops were open but a large number of commercial shops and shopping malls were shut in many places.

Most educational institutions, especially schools, remained closed. Maximum bank branches and financial institutions remained shut.

But most government offices functioned almost normally.

The Assam government had on Tuesday issued an order to open all government offices.

The order to the departmental heads said: "State government desires that all government offices and services should function normally during the strike call period. You are therefore requested to take necessary steps to ensure normal functioning of all government offices and services during strike call period."

It also mentioned that pay cut and other actions may be resorted to under the prescribed rule.

In Tripura, the normal life was affected due to the 24-hours shut down.

Most markets, shops and business establishments were closed in the state and most private and passenger vehicles remained off the roads. But many government offices functioned almost normally and schools and other educational institutions also remained open, though with very less attendance.

Most banks and financial institutions remained shut.

Police spokesman Subrata Chakraborty told IANS that there was no untoward incident anywhere in the state.

The BJP-led state government had issued a circular asking all employees to attend offices normally otherwise action would be taken against them. The BJP has also organised bike rallies and processions to maintain normalcy.

Huge contingent of security personnel were deployed all across Tripura.

The nationwide strike evoked little response in other northeastern states -- Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Meghalaya.IANS