CALCUTTA, 12 November 2004 — In a landmark judgment, Calcutta High Court yesterday ordered the West Bengal government to deduct salaries of government employees who don’t turn up on Nov. 17, Nov. 22 or Dec. 3 when various political parties have given calls for general strikes.
Justice Pratap Kumar Roy and Justice Jyotirmoy Bhattacharya also ordered the state chief secretary to publish newspaper advertisements within 48 hours declaring the shutdowns illegal and warning government employees that their pay would be cut if they are absent.
The verdict in a public interest case filed against Trinamul Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) and Socialist Unity Center of India which have called shutdowns on Dec. 3, Nov. 22 and Nov. 17 respectively - three strikes in 17 days - against the hike in prices of petroleum products has evoked a mixed response.
While common people heaved a sigh of relief, the political parties promptly announced that they would go ahead with the strikes come what may. The judges ruled that absentees during any future shutdown called by any political party would meet the same fate - their salaries too would be slashed. And directed the chief secretary to declare all future general strikes unconstitutional.
There were sharp exchanges between the judges and government counsel, Subrata Mukhopadhyay, when the court held the ruling Marxists responsible for spreading the virus of shutdowns in West Bengal.
