By IANS,
Agartala : A dawn-to-dusk general strike in Tripura, called by the ruling Left Front to protest fuel and cooking gas price hikes, Thursday crippled life.
Most markets, shops and business establishments, government and semi-government offices and educational institutions were closed. Roads wore a deserted look. Rail and air traffic were disrupted.
“The strike is peaceful,” said police spokesman Nepal Das.
In view of the strike, the Tripura government even suspended Thursday’s World Environment Day programmes in the state.
Examinations at educational institutions, including Tripura University, have been deferred in view of the shutdown.
Reacting to the central government’s decision to increase the prices of transport fuel and cooking gas, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said that the decision would further push prices of all commodities.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) alleged that the central government had acted in the interest of private oil companies.
But he said it would not be possible for the Tripura government to cut taxes on fuels.
“If the Tripura government cuts sales tax on petrol and diesel, implementation of social and service-oriented programmes for the welfare of the people would be badly affected as Tripura depends on the central government for financial support,” he said.