Why are Kurmis Protesting in Bengal, Jharkhand? News18 Explains Demand for ST Status Amid Train Woes

Train services of South Eastern Railway (SER) were affected in two of its divisions as people belonging to the Kurmi community have been blocking two railway stations in West Bengal for three days. The Kurmis, demanding Scheduled Tribe status for the community and inclusion of the Kurmali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, launched the agitation at various rail stations in West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand at 4 AM on Tuesday.

As the protests stretch on, News18 explains why the Kurmis are protesting:

For ST Status

Kurmi’s were not included among the communities classified as ST in the 1931 census, and the community members were again excluded from the list of STs in 1950.

However, in 2004, the Jharkhand government recommended that the Kurmi community be added to the list of STs rather than Other Backward Classes (OBC), according to a report by Logical Indian.

Following the recommendation, the Central Government’s Tribal Research Institute (TRI) advised that Kurmi is a sub-caste of Kunbi and not a tribal people.

Based on TRI reports, the Government of India later rejected the recommendation. Kurmi members are now recognised as OBC in several states, including West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha. Members of the community are protesting for ST status because they believe their ancestors are from Indian tribal groups.

What Does the Tribal Research Institute Say?

According to a report by Punjab Kesari published last year, in Jharkhand, many MPs-MLAs, political parties and social organizations have been demanding to include Kurmi-Kudmi caste in the Scheduled Tribe category for a long time. However, Dr. Ramdayal Munda has said that the research institute’s report has revealed that the caste living in the state lacks primitive characteristics for the inclusion.

A report in this regard has been submitted to the government on 23 November 2020 by the institute, which states that ‘at present, the people of Kurmi-Kudmi caste are relatively strong from social, economic, educational and political point of view and that there is absolutely no hesitation in contacting people from other communities and there is no social stigma like untouchability among them’.

‘It has been informed by the Personnel Department that in the light of these facts and on the basis of the parameters set by the Government of India, there is a need to maintain the status quo of the Kurmi-Kudmi (Mahto) caste residing in Jharkhand in the present environment,’ the report said.

According to the report received from Tribal Welfare Research Institute, the Census of the country released in 1872 has not marked Kurmi-Kudmi as Tribes or Wood Tribes but is mentioned as Jari Kurmi or Kurmi of the Woods. It has also been clarified by the Revenue and Land Reforms Department that Kurmi (Mahto) is listed in the list of backward classes under the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act (CNT), 1908.

Criteria for ST Recognition

According to the Constitution, STs are designated by the President after consultation with the Governor.

According to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, the criteria include:

• “primitive” traits
• distinct culture
• geographic isolation
• “shyness of connect” with the larger community
• “backwardness.”

Blockade, Trains Cancelled

While the blockade in Bengal lifted in all other stations by the evening of the same day, it continued at Khemasuli in Paschim Medinipur district and Kustaur in Purulia district.

As a result, 140 Mail/Express & Passenger trains have been cancelled. Apart from this, 69 trains have been short terminated/short originated, 65 trains have been diverted and three trains have been rescheduled since Tuesday, the SER said in a statement in Kolkata. Kustaur and Khemasuli stations fall under Adra Kharagpur Divisions respectively. The SER statement said that senior officers of the railway are at the site to monitor the situation and are coordinating with the state government.

Meanwhile, an organisation of the Kurmi people on Thursday said in Ranchi that it postponed its proposed rail blockade agitation in Jharkhand on September 25 to press for the same two demands. The organisation, Totenik Kurmi/ Kurmi Samaj (TK/KS), on September 13 wrote a letter to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informing him of the Rail Chakka Jam’.

We have decided to postpone the agitation that was scheduled on September 25 in the wake of our participation in the joint protest called by Odisha and West Bengal units of the Kurmi community on September 20, Jharkhand convener of TK/KS Sheetal Ohdar told PTI. He said that they would soon announce their future course of action soon.

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