The strike called by the Left trade unions on Thursday against “anti-people” policies of the Narendra Modi government had little impact in the brew belt, raising questions on the effectiveness of a shutdown call amid a pandemic that has plunged the working class deeper into poverty.

Reports from the tea gardens suggested most workers in tea estates of Terai and the Dooars went to work and operations were normal in over 80 per cent tea gardens.

A senior trade union leader in the Dooars admitted they were caught by surprise as most workers walked up to the factories and plantations in tea gardens in defiance of the bandh call. “This despite Joint Forum, the largest apex body of tea trade unions, supporting the strike,” said the trade union leader.

“What we witnessed today (Thursday) is unprecedented... The Left and the Congress backed tea trade unions claim that their trade unions enjoy a considerable support of the tea population. That claim came under question today,” said Soumen Nag, a social researcher in Siliguri.

Tea workers and managers pointed out loss in workers’ earnings during the prolonged lockdown, and that many did not want disruption in regular activities as the current tea season would end in less than a month. A political analyst pointed out that the BJP and Trinamul were not actively involved in this bandh, which might be another reason for the lukewarm response.

“In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and 2016 Assembly polls, a large section of the tea population had backed the BJP. “It is because of their support that BJP could win parliamentary seats Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar. Also, in recent times, the Trinamul government has come up with social welfare schemes and a housing scheme for tea workers. None of these parties supported the strike. That might have also made tea workers join their work,” he said.

Bidyut Gun, the district secretary of Alipurduar in Citu (CPM’s workers’ front), asserted that they were perturbed as a large number of workers defied the strike call.

“It is clear that we could not reach out to each worker and convince him or her why they should support the strike. We have to find out whether there has been a change in the support base of trade unions or there is any other reason for it,” said Gun.

In Jalpaiguri, district Trinamul chief K.K. Kalyani hit the streets of Jalpaiguri town to oppose the strike as workers of Saraswatipur tea estate in Rajganj block of the district that Kalyani owns did not join work.

“They did not support the strike but enjoyed the day as a holiday,” clarified Kalyani.

Additional reporting by our Alipurduar correspondent