24-hour transport strike in West Bengal to protest against fuel prices hike
Kolkata:Protesting against hike in prices of fuel, West Bengal's Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) called for a 24-hour transport strike in the state on Saturday. Public transport, including buses, taxis, auto
rickshaw, trams, tourist buses, mini buses and trucks are off the road. "We are
observing 24-hours transport strike in West Bengal today and demanding immediate
reduction of all price hike of petrol, diesel, gas and kerosene," said Debanjan
Chakraborty, Secretary of West Bengal State Committee of CITU. Chakraborty, however,
added that essential services like ambulances, railways and air services have
been kept outside the purview of the strike. The transport strike has brought
normal life to a standstill for the daily commuters. Condemning the strike, locals
said that it was not the appropriate solution for fuel price hike. "I had left
home for going to work, but I am stranded here since a long time, more than half
an hour. I have heard that there is a strike because the petrol, diesel prices
have been hiked, which should not have happened. But I think strike is not a solution,"
said Susanta Saha, a local.
