TWO-DAY GENERAL STRIKE PARALYZES CALCUTTA
A general strike paralyzed Calcutta November 22 as the masses of the city rallied in support of the United Front West Bengal government which was arbitrarily dismissed from office the preceding day by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
P.C.Ghosh, who had defected from the United Front government and gone over to the Congress party headed by Indira Gandhi, was immediately appointed the new Chief Minister.
As partisans of the ousted government staged demonstrations in the streets, including setting up barricades, the police charged on them with unusual violence. At least ten youths were killed. More than 2,500 persons have been arrested in the turbulent state.
The strike was so solid that when Chandra arrived at his office under heavy police escort he found only seven clerks present out of the 15,000 employed in the government building.