12-hour strike cripples life in Tripura

AGARTALA - A nationwide dawn-to-dusk strike called by 13 parties against rising prices Tuesday brought life to a halt in Tripura.

“The strike was total with people expressing their anger against the central government’s failure to check price rise,” Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Bijon Dhar told reporters.

Most markets, shops and business establishments, government and semi-government offices, educational institutions, banks and financial institutions were shut in the state. Roads were deserted and rail services between Tripura and the rest of the country were disrupted.

However, air services on the Agartala-Kolkata and Agartala-Guwahati routes were reportedly normal, an Agartala airport official told IANS.

Bus services between Tripura and Bangladesh and other northeastern states were cancelled.

“The 12-hour shutdown remained peaceful,” police spokesman Nepal Das told IANS.

Examinations at educational institutions, including Tripura University, have been deferred.

The Agartala bench of the Guwahati High Court Monday asked Tripura’s ruling Left Front not to apply force to ensure Tuesday’s strike. It also directed the government to take adequate measures to maintain normalcy.

The 13 parties participating in the protests include the Samajwadi Party, Left parties, Telugu Desam Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal, Rashtriya Janata Dal and Lok Janshakti Party. Their main demand is roll back of the prices of fuel, fertilisers and other commodities.