West Bengal tribals call for 12-hour strike over development demands

SILIGURI - The Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad (ABAVP), an outfit working for the welfare of tribal community, called for a 12-hour strike in West Bengal’s Siliguri District on Wednesday demanding development work for the upliftment of their community.

Shouting slogans against the state government for the lack of growth done for the development of tribal community in the region, the protestors highlighted the fact that the politicians show their concern only during elections.

“We want to say that it has been 63 years of Independence but the tribal community is still left deprived a lot. The state government officials have organised a book fair in our region but we protest against this and we have called for a 12-hour strike and we want that our strike to be peaceful and to go off well,” said Suresh Kerkata, a leader of ABAVP.

The members of ABAVP were protesting against the ‘Adivasi (Tribal) State Conference’ to be held in the region being attended by Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M) MP Brinda Karat, as they said the politicians had organised the conference only to influence the tribal community for votes as elections were nearby.

The protestors shutdown markets and blocked roads. (ANI)