KOLKATA: A 24 -hour transport strike began in West Bengal on Saturday morning at the call of the labour wing of the state’s ruling party in protest against the central government’s step raising fuel prices.  

The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) labour arm Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) enforced the public transport halt.

Shyamal Chakraborty, secretary of CITU, said, “The transport sector would face tremendous difficulties with the increase of fuel prices as per government decision.”

“So we are compelled to call for the strike on Saturday,” he also said while addressing a press conference at Kolkata Sramik Bhaban.

On the contrary, Trinomul Congress leader and central Railway Minister from West Bengal Mamata Banerjee said at a programme in New Delhi, “We protested the price hike, but had to accept the majority decision.”

The Trinomul Congress and the CPI-M have long been at loggerheads over contentious state political issues.     

BST 12:15hrs, June 26, 2010
RD/PB/AK/SMS/MUA