The government on Wednesday sought to play down the nation-wide industrial strike called by the Left-led trade unions, saying it was "politically motivated".

Speaking to reporters at a hurriedly convened press conference, Labour Minister Sahib Singh Verma said such strike calls have become annual features of the leftist trade unions to make their presence felt.

Verma said the strike was 50 per cent successful in banks and insurance sectors in Delhi, while in the Left Front ruled West Bengal, it did have an impact.

On the major demands of the agitating trade unions, he said the government was aware of the plight of the workers in the agriculture and unorganised sectors and added that a Bill was being finalised to provide social security to 37 crore (370 million) such workers.

On the demand to raise the interest rate on Employees Provident Fund from 9.5 per cent now to 12 per cent, he promised that the workers would be given the best possible returns. "We will not leave any stone unturned to see that workers get the maximum returns," he said.

He said efforts would be made to raise the bonus ceiling.

Refuting the trade unions' allegations that Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajapyee had turned down the request from the labour minister to meet the trade union leaders, Verma said Vajpayee was of the view that since they were adamant on going ahead with the strike, there was no use talking to them.