Will firmly oppose GJMM bandh: Mamata

In a bid to ensure that “bandh” culture does not vitiate the work culture in Bengal once again, the state government will issue show-cause notices to its employees and  deduct  a day’s salary if they remain absent from office on September 27, 28 and 29 without any genuine reason.

The step has been taken to ensure that situation remains normal in the hills on September 28 when Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJMM) has called for a bandh.

A notification was issued on Monday by the state government’s finance department stating that “all heads of offices or controlling authority will issue show-cause notices to the employees, who remain absent on September 27, 28 and 29, asking them to explain why action should not be taken against them for such unauthorised absence.”

Leave will be granted only if they provide satisfactory explanation supported with valid documents. The notification clearly stipulates on what grounds employees may get a leave on those days.

 

The notification states leave can be granted “if the employee is hospitalised” or “is on child care leave, maternity leave, medical leave and earned leave, sanctioned prior to issue of Monday’s order”.

Left trade unions had called a bandh on September 2. But it failed to have any impact in the city and other parts of the state.

 

The reason was that the government made elaborate arrangements on the day of the bandh to help people reach their destinations without any trouble.  There were sufficient buses and other public vehicles on the road. 

Moreover, there were thousands of additional policemen deployed at strategic locations which helped maintain law and order. Windscreens of only two buses were damaged in north Bengal.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced that compensation would be given to people if their buses or shops were damaged by bandh supporters. It helped build confidence in people and all shops, markets, schools, colleges and offices remained open on the day of bandh.