Jharkhand: AJSU party to join Kurmis’ agitation for ST status on Sep 20

Ranchi, Sep 18 (PTI) The AJSU party on Thursday announced that it will join and lead Kurmi community's proposed 'Rail Teka' (rail blockade) agitation on September 20, in support of their long-standing demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status and inclusion of the Kurmali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, a party official said.

The agitation has been called under the banner of Adivasi Kurmi Samaj (AKS) in Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha.

"The AJSU party has decided not only to extend its full support, but also participate in the agitation. AJSU party leaders in Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha will lead the protest in their respective areas," AJSU central general secretary and former MLA Lambodar Mahto told a press conference here.

He said Giridih MP Chandra Prakash Choudhary will lead the protest in Dhanbad, Giridih and Bokaro, while Mandu MLA Nirmal Mahto will lead the agitation in Ramgarh, Hazaribag and Chatra.

Similarly, senior party leaders would lead the protest in different districts.

"I will urge all political parties of the state including BJP, Congress, JMM, left parties, JLKM and others to stand with the justified demand of Kurmi community," he said.

Mahto said their demands include inclusion of Kurmis in ST list as it was till 1931, addition of Kurmali language in the Eighth Schedule and implementation of Sarna religious code.

Kurmi leader Om Prakash Mahto said they would block rail movements in over 100 stations across Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal. PTI SAN SAN MNB