'No mother should lose her child': Darjeeling, Kalimpong sided with 'peace' during violence-hit Bengal elections

The district administration is relieved as there was no unrest, particularly in the hill districts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong in this year's Panchayat elections, unlike in the past when they had witnessed disruptive activities during elections.

Darjeeling:West Bengal panchayat elections 2023 were marred with large-scale violence barring three districts — Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Jhargram. Both the ruling and opposition parties lost workers and supporters while several others were injured. Hurling of bombs, firing and arson incidents claimed at least 18 lives.

The two hill districts set a precedent for others to follow. No re-election was ordered in any of the booths in these three districts. The district administration is relieved as there was no unrest, particularly in the hill districts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong in this year's Panchayat elections, unlike in the past when they had witnessed disruptive activities during elections.

These two hill districts were under the grip of armed resistance demanding a separate state (Gorkhaland), the killing of Madan Tamang, the death of at least 17 hill dwellers during the movement and the killing of policemen such as Amitabh Malik and other subversive activities. Madan Tamang was a politician and the president of Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League (ABGL), a moderate faction of the Gorkhaland movement.

Several railway stations coming under Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), government and heritage property were damaged during the unrest. Darjeeling and Kalimpong witnessed to 104-day-long Hill strike. People were forced to suffer hardships. Darjeeling and Kalimpong hill districts were deprived of panchayat elections for the past 23 years due to separatist movements and volatile situation.

The hill dwellers proved themselves to be peace-loving people for violence-free panchayat polls in these two districts. It was a big challenge for the State Election Commission to hold panchayat in these two districts after a gap of 23 years.

Anit Thapa of Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha said, "The hill dwellers suffered a lot due to violence in the past. That's why we had demanded from the very beginning that whoever comes to power should conduct a peaceful election. And this was happening."

BJP MP from Darjeeling, Raju Bista said, "Our demand was that there should be no violence in the elections. No mother should lose her child. The hills have set an example for others to follow by voting peacefully in West Bengal panchayat elections."