J'khand: Kurmi agitators lift blockade from all rail stations post Centre's assurance of talks

Ranchi, Sep 21 (PTI) Agitators from the Kurmi community, who launched a railway blockade in Jharkhand demanding ST status and inclusion of their Kurmali language in the Eighth Schedule, on Sunday withdrew the stir from all stations following the Centre's assurance of a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the matter.

The agitation was withdrawn from all but two stations late on Saturday night. The blockades at Sini station in Seraikela-Kharswan district and Pradhan Khanta station in Dhanbad district were also withdrawn around 10 am on Sunday, Kurmi Vikas Morcha central president Sheetal Ohdar told PTI.

"We withdrew the agitation after an assurance from the office of the Union Home Minister of a meeting with Amit Shah. However, the date has not been allotted yet," Ohdar, who is also a member of Adivasi Kurmi Samaj (AKS), said.

Defying prohibitory orders, thousands of protesters squatted on tracks at various stations in Muri, Rai, Tatisilwai stations in Ranchi district, Barkakana in Ramgarh, Parasnath in Giridih, Charhi in Hazaribag, Pradhan Khanta in Dhanbad, Galudih in East Singhbhum and Chandrapura in Bokaro district on Saturday under the banner of AKS to press their demand for ST status for the community and inclusion of the Kurmali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

The agitation led to the cancellation, diversion and short-termination of more than 100 passenger trains on Saturday under the jurisdiction of the Ranchi division of South Eastern Railway (SER) and Dhanbad division of ECR, an official said.

The passenger trains that were cancelled, diverted or short-terminated are being restored and many have already been restored, the railway official said.

Various tribal organisations, however, opposed the agitation staged by members of the Kurmi community. These outfits also staged a demonstration near Raj Bhawan in Ranchi on Saturday.

"The protest by the Kurmi community was illegal and undemocratic. They (Kurmis) want to snatch the rights of genuine Scheduled Tribes," tribal leader Lakshmi Narayan Munda claimed. PTI SAN ACD