Siliguri: The 24-hour general strike called by Left trade unions and Congress on Wednesday received a mixed response across North Bengal districts. There were reports of sporadic clashes from the districts. In the Hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong, the bandh failed to evoke any response. It was like any other day with vehicles plying, shops, business establishments, education institutes and offices open. Tea gardens functioned normally.
In Siliguri, the bandh evoked a mixed response. While traffic remained normal in several areas and government offices functioned, maximum shops and markets remained shut.
Left-backed and Congress labour unions took out rallies demanding the repeal of the new labor code. In Court More, strike supporters halted a government bus and forced passengers to disembark. Scuffles with police took place at Hill Cart Road. Meanwhile, INTTUC, the labour wing of TMC, also took out rallies against the strike. Tensions flared in Naxalbari when an altercation took place between strike supporters and INTTUC members when the supporters forcefully tried to stop vehicles on the roads. Same picture was seen in Fulbari, Rangapani and other areas under Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad.
In Cooch Behar, private buses remained off the roads since morning, while government buses operated. Shops opened up. Tension flared in the Sagar Dighi area when strike supporters attempted to take out a protest rally near government offices. Police intervened, leading to a scuffle. Several Left activists were detained. Superintendent of Police Dyutiman Bhattacharya confirmed that 89 supporters were arrested by 11 am. In Jalpaiguri, the bandh passed off peacefully with partial impact. Vehicular traffic was seen on the roads with markets remaining open. Government offices recorded normal attendance.
Indian Tea Planters’ Association advisor Amitanshu Chakraborty confirmed uninterrupted operations in the tea sector. Over 70 strike supporters were arrested across the district. A similar scene unfolded in Alipurduar.
The bandh saw limited participation, with private transport staying off-road but other traffic and government services running normally. Tea gardens operated without disruption. Superintendent of Police Y Raghuvamshi stated that no untoward incident occurred and 26 strike supporters were arrested. In South Dinajpur, Left-affiliated trade union workers took to the streets in Banshihari. During picketing, CPI(M) Banshihari Area Committee member Majedar Rahman got into an altercation with police and was allegedly slapped by Banshihari IC Asim Ghosh. He was later arrested.
The bandh disrupted normal life in Banshihari and Balurghat, with sparse public transport and Left activists blocking roads and bus stands amid heavy police deployment. Most business establishments in Raiganj, North Dinajpur remained shut, and private vehicles stayed off the roads. Banks and other financial institutions were closed, though NBSTC buses operated normally. Attendance in government offices remained unaffected.
Police arrested 22 agitators from various locations across the district. Malda witnessed sporadic tensions on Wednesday. From Chanchal to Harishchandrapur, picketing and counter-picketing led to scuffles.