CPM begins hill 'rights protection' outreach in Darjeeling district
Telegraph | 11 January 2026
The Darjeeling district CPM launched its “Adhikar Raksha Abhiyan (campaign to protect rights)” in the hills on Saturday.
Saman Pathak, the secretary of the party’s Darjeeling district committee, said the campaign was a part of the CPM’s broader “Bangla Bachao Abhiyan (Save Bengal movement)” aimed at reconnecting with people ahead of the upcoming Assembly
elections.
“This campaign is an extended initiative of our ‘Bangla Bachao Abhiyan’, which is already underway across the state. Through this new campaign, we are trying to reconnect with hill residents. Our main objective is to understand how people in the hills have been suffering due to unemployment and lack of development since 2009 under both the BJP and Trinamool,” Pathak said.
On Saturday, the campaign began in the Thurbo division and Mirik subdivision’s Nandalalgaon. Mirik subdivision was among the worst hit in last October’s landslides and heavy rain. The disaster claimed at least 12 lives in different parts of the subdivision.
Around 100 CPM workers participated in the drive in Thurbo and Nandalalgaon. They also visited Jamansingh, Bahadurgaon and Ninth Mile areas, and interacted with nearly 350 families.
According to Pathak, residents expressed ire over unemployment, inadequate infrastructure and “neglect” of tea workers by both the state and central governments.
“The outreach will continue across the hills,” the CPM leader said, urging people to support the party.