SUCIs West Bengal shutdown call against PDS corruption falls flat

A call for West Bengal shutdown by the Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI), to protest against corruption in the rationing system, failed to evoke a response today.

Kolkata, Oct 30 : A call for West Bengal shutdown by the Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI), to protest against corruption in the rationing system, failed to evoke a response today.

The shutdown was called to protest against the deteriorating law and order situation in the State in the wake the mysterious death of computer graphic teacher Rizwanur Rahman, besides a demand to regularise and make the public distribution system efficient in the State.

Transport services in the state remained normal with government and private buses, autos and taxis plying as usual. All the schools, colleges, shops malls and offices functioned normally.

"Stop malpractices and ruling party corruption in ration supply. Supply edible rice, wheat and other necessities along with kerosene oil in Kolkata and other suburban towns and villages in the State through ration," said a protestor.

The protestors demanded that peace be restored in Nandigram, which has been witnessing sporadic clashes between the activists of the CPI-M and the Trinamool Congress over land acquisitions.

"Ensure real peace in Nandigram and punish criminals of the CPI-M, and police officials for mass killing," said SUCI General Secretary Pravash Ghosh.

West Bengal is notorious for the shutdown calls by political parties, but this time there has been lukewarm response and there is no support from public.

"Today there is a shutdown, but the public is not supporting it. Everything is normal. We are going to work," said Mousumi Chatterjee, a commuter.

The 12-hour shutdown call has been by and large peaceful. The administration, however, made elaborate security arrangements with a heavy deployment of police force in SUCI strongholds like Hazra, Baruipur, Sealdah, Esplanade.

ANI