Nationwide protest: City sees normal activity barring pockets of resistance
The Statesman | 10 July 2025
A nationwide general strike called by 10 central trade unions to protest against central government’s labour policies triggered sporadic disruptions and clashes in several parts of Bengal on Wednesday.
In Kolkata, left-aligned demonstrators attempted to block roads and disrupt public transport, including a rail blockade near Jadavpur station. Protesters burnt effigies and tyres to voice their opposition, leading to tense face-offs with the police. A minor fire broke out near a shop in Jadavpur when tyres were set ablaze. A police officer’s footwear caught fire during efforts to douse the flames.
In south Kolkata’s Ganguly Bagan, left activists staged a large protest march, while in Belghoria, trade union supporters blocked BT Road near the entrance of the Prabartak Jute Mill, leading to arguments with motorists. SFI leader Srijan Bhattacharya said he was injured as police allegedly hit him. Similar scenes played out in Howrah’s Domjur, where protesters stopped buses and trucks and allegedly forced passengers to disembark. The police used batons to disperse the crowd, injuring two CPI-M workers who were later hospitalized. Two persons were detained.
In the state’s southern district of South Dinajpur, a local police inspector was seen slapping a CPI-M supporter, Majedar Rahman, during a road blockade. Rahman, a local committee member, was arrested, prompting protests outside the police station. CPI-M Central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said that the role of the police clearly depicted the alliance of BJP and Trinamul in the state as supporter of the general strike were physically assaulted by police and Trinamul backed miscreants both. “CM Mamata Banerjee today unleashed tortures on peaceful protestors by deploying TMC backed miscreants and police to probe that TMC and BJP is opposite sides of a same coin,” said Mr Chakraborty. The state government took a firm stance against the strike.
Earlier a circular issued from the state secretariat, Nabanna, declared that all state-run and state-aided offices would remain open. Casual and half-day leaves were disallowed, and absence would result in a day’s salary deduction unless due to hospitalization or serious illness prior to 8 July. Despite efforts to enforce the strike, public transport remained largely functional in urban areas. In Suri, the district headquarters of Birbhum, both government and private transport services operated, though a few private buses stayed off the roads. In Bolpur, protesters burnt tyres briefly before withdrawing the blockade.
In Ghatal, West Midnapore, police and demonstrators clashed near the central bus stand. The police intervened to keep traffic moving and removed protestors from the road.
Trade unions had claimed that around 250 million workers would join the strike, though essential services such as railways, hospitals, ambulance, and fire services were kept out of its purview. While the strike had a mixed impact across West Bengal, the state administration remained on high alert, deploying large contingents of police in sensitive areas to prevent major disruption.