West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's opposition to bandhs on Wednesday invited sharp criticism from his party and allies alike who said it was 'unbecoming' on the part of a veteran marxist like him to make such remarks.
The opposition Congress and Trinamool dubbed it as a 'volte face' and said that staging bandh was a 'fundamental right' of the workers which cannnot be curtailed at the call of Bhattacharjee.
Kerala Chief Minister and Bhattacharjee's party colleague V S Achuthanandan resented the anti-bandh remarks.
"I don't think he had expressed such an opinion. If he had said so, then it is wrong," Achuthanandan told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.
West Bengal CITU General Secretary Kali Ghosh said, "this is his personal belief. We have nothing to say against individual opinion.
"We believe workers will resort to strike as long as capitalism and exploitation are there," he said pointing out that the issue raised by Bhattacharjee should have been discussed within the party.
There were ripples within the Left Front with major partners CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc criticising his remarks as 'undesirable from a communist leader'.
Opposing Bhattacharjee's view, AITUC general secretary Gurudas Dasgupta, MP, said, "It is very unfortunate, more so as he is a leader of the communist movement.
"Strike is the last resort and it does not take place off and on. It also happens in industrialised countries".
CPI leader D Raja expressed surprise over the remarks saying 'staging bandhs is a democratic right. How can it be curbed?
Addressing an industrialists' meet on Tuesday, Buddhadeb had said he was opposed to bandhs and would not allow gherao-type agitations in the state as they were 'illegal'.
Forward Bloc Secretary Ashok Ghosh said it was 'unbecoming on the part of a senior Marxist to undermine workers' rights'.
"It is amazing to note that Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has preferred to speak out against bandh at a time when workers' rights are under attack in the capitalist world," the octogenarian leader said.
Expressing surprise at Bhattacharjee's comments, senior RSP leader and state PWD Minister Kshiti Goswami said, "It may be that the chief minister has opened up against bandh in the midst of a meeting called by businessman."
Goswami said he disagreed with the view and asserted 'strike is the last weapon for the working class which cannot be snatched away'.
The RSP leader said it was to be ascertained from Bhattacharjee as to why he had been vocal against bandhs 'that may cost the workers' interest'.
State INTUC leader Subrata Mukherjee (Congress) wondered how the Marxist chief minister was uttering anti-bandh slogans 'and that too in the midst of businessmen'.
"Should the workers sacrifice their right to strike at the call of Buddhadev Bhattacharjee? he asked.
Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy said 'it is a sudden volte face on part of the chief minister'.
"Workers' right to strike is their fundamental right and that can't be curbed," Roy said.
An analysis of the bandhs observed in 2008 reveals that out of the five shutdowns in the state, three had been called by Left parties like Forward Bloc, Left Front and CITU, while the remaining two had been sponsored by opposition Trinamool Congress and SUCI.