Chief minister Mamata Banerjee here on Thursday asserted that her state government and her party Trinamul were against bandhs while underscoring how shutdowns negatively impact the economy and development.

“We have stopped bandh politics across Bengal since 2011 and have taken a specific policy in this regard. We do not support any strike as it hinders economic growth and development,” said Mamata. She was talking to newspersons at Uttar Kanya, the branch secretariat of Bengal located in the southern part of Siliguri, before departing for Calcutta.

“Ten people will stand and block the road while lakhs of people, students, and patients will face inconveniences for hours. This is unacceptable. Bengal is progressing in the way of development and people are getting benefits from it. Also, using loudhailers is not allowed during exams and all of us should adhere to it,” she said.

The chief minister, who reached here on Tuesday, had given a similar stern message at the public distribution programme organised at the Kanchenjungha stadium about the inconveniences that common people face during strikes and bandhs.

The same day, a section of hill leaders such as Ajoy Edwards and Binay Tamang announced a 12-hour strike that was supposed to be observed on Thursday, in protest of the recent resolution adopted in the Assembly against any further division of Bengal.

On Wednesday, those who had called the strike decided to call it off, keeping in mind that public sentiment was not in favour of it and it would affect Madhyamik examinees. Mamata’s statements are also believed to have played a part in making the hill leaders change their decision.

Two other regional political parties appeared to have given a second thought to their shutdown plans. The Kamtapur Peoples’ Party and the Kamtapur Progressive Party, which are also proponents of separate statehood and opposed the resolution passed in the Assembly, held a meeting in Dhupguri on Wednesday.

There, they had planned to launch various political activities and even discussed calling a general strike in protest of the resolution. “But as the hill leaders withdrew the strike (that was supposed to be on Thursday), we thought of taking some more time to make a decision.

We will, however, organise sit-in demonstrations, rallies, and meetings,” said a senior leader of one of the factions. Trinamul insiders said that Mamata’s message against shutdowns was loud and clear.

“The chief minister made it clear that the state would take every step to keep life normal even if anyone announces a bandh. We are reaching out to people to tell them how a bandh hits their livelihood and deters development,” said a Trinamul leader in Siliguri.