Mumbai/New Delhi: Shiv Sena on Tuesday withdrew
its support to the ongoing motormen`s strike in Mumbai taking
note of the inconvenience caused to the commuters, even as the
BJP appealed to the agitators to call off their protest.
"We have withdrawn our support to the motormen`s strike
after Sena chief Bal Thackeray ordered us to do so. The
commuters are having lot of trouble and the city has been
stranded since yesterday," Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut said in Mumbai.
The strike by mortormen demanding hike in wages and
allowances has brought suburban rail services to a crawl in
the metropolis.
"Shiv Sena wants that the motormen`s demands should be
fulfilled by the government. However, harassing the commuters
in this way is not correct," he said.
Senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde has also appealed to the
motormen to call off their strike.
"The struggle is against government and not the public
and inconvenience should not be caused to public in any way
due to the struggle," senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde said.
Both the parties demanded that the Railway Ministry take
immediate steps to address the grievances.
"The Railway Ministry is silent on the demands of the
motormen who had given notice regarding the strike six months
back," Munde told reporters outside Parliament.
Shiv Sena leader Anant Geete said the situation in Mumbai
was "explosive" and riots may break out if immediate steps
were not taken to end the strike.
"People are on the roads and riots can break out anytime
if the situation was not tackled immediately. Railway Ministry
should take steps to end the strike," he said.
The two leaders said the opposition will not allow
Parliament to function till the grievances of the motormen are
addressed.
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee should take immediate
steps to address the issue and make statement in Parliament,
they said.
Meanwhile, suburban train services in Mumbai continued to
be disrupted for the second day today due to the strike called
by motormen demanding a hike in salary and allowances.
PTI
