Voters queue up as peace reigns in 2023 trouble spots of Salt Lake and New Town
Times of India | 2 June 2024
Kolkata: The last panchayat saw most of the polling centres in New Town blocked by unknown faces with barricades as a large section of residents could not cast their vote. Also, poll days in adjacent Salt Lake have always been marred with violence.
The scene in the townships of New Town and Salt Lake during the last phase of Lok Sabha polls on Saturday was a stark contrast as residents, from first time voters to elderly residents from the blocks, high-rises and gated communities came in huge numbers to spontaneously cast their votes at the booths known to be trouble zones in the past.Rajarhat New Town and Bidhannagar assembly segments fall under Barasat parliamentary constituency where three-time sitting MP Trinamool’s Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar is contesting against BJP’s Swapan Majumder and Forward Bloc’s Sanjib Chatterjee.
“We have not seen such peaceful and fair voting happen here in recent times. The police as well as the central force were very friendly and welcoming as we cast our votes freely,” said Gobindo Biswas, a resident of Sunrise Point housing complex in New Town.
“People are casting their votes with much enthusiasm as many were prevented from casting their vote in the last panchayat polls. Security arrangements were very good as many elderly residents like us spontaneously cast their votes,” said Pulak Dey, a resident of New Town BE block.
Barring a few complaints, the scene was similar in adjacent Salt Lake where people in large numbers came to vote. Elderly voters with crutches or in wheelchairs were assisted by central force jawans upto the booths so that they didn’t have to stand in the queue.