Several Lok Sabha members of opposition parties expressed their support to the ‘Bharat bandh’ being observed by the central trade unions on Tuesday and sought discussion on the matter. The MPs lamented that the lives of the working people have become miserable due to the government’s privatisation drive amid increasing unemployment and inflation. The occasion also brought to the fore the bitterness between the West Bengal Congress and the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC).

AITC MP Saugata Roy said the protest evoked support of the people and that it was a reflection of the simmering unhappiness.

Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the bandh was called against the government “plundering national resources” and pointed out that all central trade unions except the (Sangh Parivar affiliated) Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh were part of the strike.

He used the occasion to take a jibe at his bete noire, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, by saying when the entire opposition was giving total support to the workers’ strike, the West Bengal government was trying to thwart the strike.