The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : City brought to a standstill

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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

City brought to a standstill

Staff Reporter

General strike assumes proportions of a bandh

— Photos: S. Mahinsha

Strike day sights: A group of tourists take a break near Secretariat; (above) buses of companies at Technopark form a convoy to pick up employees in the city on Wednesday.

— Photos: S. Mahinsha

Strike day sights: A group of tourists take a break near Secretariat; (above) buses of companies at Technopark form a convoy to pick up employees in the city on Wednesday.

Thiruvananthapuram: The general strike initiated by left trade unions in protest against the policies of the Central government assumed the proportions of a bandh in the district.

Strike supporters targeted government and nationalised bank employees who turned up for work in a few parts of the district. They disrupted train services, blocked main roads and prevented public transport buses, taxis and autorickshaws from operating. Strike supporters also threw stones at motorists and two-wheeler riders who dared to venture out. Traders and hotel owners were prevented from opening their establishments. The bandh-like situation caused much distress to members of the public who had to venture out on urgent business.

The plight of Rodia, a 45-year-old woman hailing from Kottayam district, is a case in point. She was in the city when she learned that her four-year-old son, Ronal, who was ailing from cancer, had died. Rodia rushed to the Central Station to catch the 8 a.m. Jayanthi Janatha express which has a halt at Kottayam.

On reaching the station, Rodia was shattered to learn that all trains were running several hours late because of the disruption caused by strike supporters. She broke down on the platform and cried.

A television channel aired Ms. Rodia’s distress. Ms. Rodia was able to leave the station by train at around 10.45 a.m.

Employees attacked

Strike supporters manhandled two employees who turned up for work at the State Bank of India branch in Palode, a city suburb. They injured E.T. Raveendran, the bank’s local field officer, in the eye.

In Attingal, strike supporters hustled teachers who turned up for work at the Avanavancheri and Madavoor government schools and locked them up in class rooms. The police later freed the teachers.

Striking trade unionists attacked private vehicles and taxis in different parts of the district.

The few autorickshaws and taxis which operated charged passengers exorbitantly. Many passengers were stranded for long hours at the airport and also at the railway station.

At Technopark

Trade unionists also tried to prevent employees from entering the Technopark campus, but it was business as usual at the IT centre on Wednesday.

As is the normal practice on such days, buses ferrying employees ran as a convoy with police protection. “There was some problem at about 8.30 a.m. when some people blocked the front gate. But, the police arrived and removed them. The functioning of Technopark was not hit in any way,” Technopark CEO Radhakrishnan Nair said.

The police had called up the Technopark authorities on Tuesday to inform them that the strike on Wednesday would be a 24-hour affair beginning at Tuesday midnight. “Normally, people expect strikes or hartals to begin only at 6 a.m. Following the call from the police, we informed all our companies so that employees working the night shift could be forewarned,” Mr. Nair added.

Low attendance

Attendance was low at government offices and also at State-run hospitals and public health centres in the district. The city wore a deserted look for the better part of the day.

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