Kolkata, March 28 : A two-day nationwide strike called by a joint forum of central trade ons in protest against on government policies evoked a mixed response in different parts of West Bengal on Monday. Supporters of the two-day nationwide strike put up rail and road blockades in various places in the state to impose the Bharat Bandh. Functionaries of the Left parties were seen blocking railway tracks in Jadavpur, Dum Dum, Barasat, Shyamnagar, Belgharia, Joynagar, Domjur and other places to protest the Centre’s policies. Road blockades were put up in Golpark, Lake Town, Baguihati and other areas of Kolkata. A scuffle also broke out between the supporters and the police in Jadavpur. Another rally was taken out by SUCI (C) from Rashbehari to Bhowanipore and then to Lake Market. Road and rail blockades were also seen in the districts of West Midnapore, West Burdwan, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, Birbhum, Hooghly, North 24 Paragans, South 24 Parganas, Howrah. The protests disrupted railway services for some time Banking services were partially impacted as a section of bank employees did not report for duty in support of the two-day nationwide general strike called by central trade ons. Transactions at many public sector banks have been impacted as employees have not reported for duty. Besides, there might be a delay in cheque clearances and government treasury operation might also be affected by the strike. The impact of the strike is prominent in eastern India as many branches of public sector banks there are closed, All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA) General Secretary C H Venkatachalam said. Several bank ons including All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA), Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI) and All India Bank Officers’ Association (AIBOA) have supported the Bharat Bandh on Monday and Tuesday. India’s largest public sector bank State Bank of India has said its banking services are likely to be affected due to the strike. “We advise that while the bank has made necessary arrangements to ensure normal functioning in its branches and offices on the days of strike, it is likely that work in our bank may be impacted to a limited extent, by the strike,” the SBI said in a statement. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) led government has said that all government offices in the state will remain open during the Bandh. “In view of calls given by different trade ons and others for a 48 hours’ nationwide strike/bandh on March 28 and 29, it has been decided that all state government offices including those provided with Grants-in-Aid by the state government shall remain open and all the employees shall report for duty on those days,” the government said in a statement on Saturday. Left Front members blocked railway tracks at Jadavpur Railway Station. The bandh showed a mixed effect in Howrah. Leftist organizations were seen shutting down markets and other services. The two-day strike called by the Left in protest of the central government’s labor law has not had much effect in Asansol industrial area since morning. Bus service has been normal since Monday morning. On the other hand, in Durgapur, another industrial city in West Burdwan, was a little different in the morning. Bandh supporters blocked the road at Bowbazar in central Kolkata and started playing cricket. After playing for some time, the police came and cleared the road by removing the blockers. There are about 600 private bus services from Medinipur Central Bus Stand in West Midnapore District. But on the first day of the two-day strike, most of the private buses did not hit the road. Government buses are normal. More than forty autos are picking up passengers in the middle of the bus waiting at the Medinipur Central bus stand. The CPI-M has started a road blockade in the Hemayetpur Jora Bridge area on the Nadia-Burdwan border to make the general strike successful. The 48-hour general strike called by the central trade ons and federations had a mixed effect on public life in Siliguri. Public life in Siliguri has been almost normal since morning. Public and private buses have left Siliguri Junction Bus Terminus for various destinations from this morning. The public transport system in the neighbouring state of Sikkim was as normal as ever. On the first day of the strike called by the central trade ons and left wing organisations, CPM workers took to the streets in Canning to protest and blockade. Demonstrations have been going on since morning blocking the Canning Baruipur road. Students block the entrance and roads of the Presidency and Calcutta versity in support of the strike. Protesters blocked the train at Kulgachhia station on the Howrah Kharagpur branch of the South Eastern Railway and started protesting. One of the girls was injured when she fell off a railway track in an attempt to stop a moving local train. BM KK