In a dig at protesting West Bengal government employees over the demand for A DA hike, senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee on Friday said those who are “trying to blackmail” the financially starved state administration should be ashamed.

Demonstrators picketed before the gates of West Bengal government offices and educational institutions demanding a hike in Dearness Allowance (DA) on Friday as part of the day-long strike called by several organisations of employees.

“Today, some government employees are protesting. Everybody has the right to protest democratically. But we should realise that the people of West Bengal have come a long way from the negative politics of strikes and shutdowns,” he said while inaugurating a bridge in his Diamond Harbour constituency.

The TMC leader, also the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said everyone should realise the financial crunch the state exchequer is facing.

“The Centre has suspended the funds that are due to West Bengal. Nearly Rs 1.15 lakh crore is due to West Bengal for various projects. Ours is the only state where the BJP government has stopped releasing funds as the BJP failed to win the 2021 elections,” he said.

“In such a financially starved situation, it is unfair and unacceptable that a few people are trying to blackmail the state government by calling strikes. This is shameful,” he said.

He also urged the employees to demand that the Centre release funds due to the state.

Reacting to Banerjee's allegation, BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said DA is a legitimate right of every state government employee.

“We have extended our full support to the protesting employees. The state government can spend funds on clubs and festivals but doesn't have money to pay dues,” Bhattacharya said.

The Mamata Banerjee administration had said no leave would be allowed on March 10, and the absence will be treated as a break in service.

The protesting employees of 18 organisations, demanding that DA be raised to the level of what their counterparts in the central government get, observed the strike on Friday.

The protesting state government employees recently held a 48-hour pen-down agitation on this issue, ignoring warnings of action, while several employees are on a hunger strike near Sahid Minar.

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose expressed hope that all those involved in the matter would find a suitable solution.

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