Kurmis to stage 'peaceful' rail roko agitation in Jharkhand to demand ST status

Ranchi, Sep 19 (PTI) Kurmi community members will go ahead with their indefinite 'Rail Teka' (rail blockade) agitation on Saturday at different railway stations across Jharkhand in support of their demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status and inclusion of Kurmali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, an official of Adivasi Kurmi Samaj said on Friday.

Adivasi Kurmi Samaj member and Kurmi Vikas Morcha central president Sheetal Ohdar told PTI that community members have been asked to stage protests on railway tracks in a peaceful manner without disrupting railway traffic, damaging public property and indulging in any sort of violence.

"We are aware of the Calcutta High Court directive and will ensure that protests on railway tracks are held in a peaceful manner, and under no circumstances will members damage railway property or indulge in violence. Members have been asked not to show resistance when security forces of the state or railway units try to remove them from tracks or take them under preventive custody," Ohdar added.

The Calcutta High Court has declared the Kurmi community's plan for rail and road blockade on September 20 unconstitutional and illegal and directed the railways and the state government to take steps to maintain law and order and ensure public movement remains unhindered.

Adivasi Kurmi Samaj has given a call for a rail and road blockade in the greater Chotanagpur area, spanning Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha.

Ohdar said community members have been asked not to carry any traditional weapons during the agitation.

"Members have been asked not to carry any traditional weapons during the agitation. We will stage jhumur (a traditional dance) and raise slogans in support of our demand," he added.

In Jharkhand, Kurmi leaders will sit on protest near railway tracks at Muri Station (near Ranchi), Barkakhana (in Ramgarh), Parasnath (Giridih), Chandrapura (Bokaro), Pradhan Ghanta (Dhanbad), Galudih (East Singhbhum), Sonua (West Singhbhum), Godda and Jamtara from Saturday morning.

"We do not want the public to be harassed during the agitation and are ready to withdraw our agitation if only Union Home Minister Amit Shah holds a meeting in support of our demand," Ohdar said.

The movement for ST status by the Kurmi community gained momentum in 2022.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, protests were held at several railway stations in Jharkhand and West Bengal.

The movement began on September 20, 2022, and lasted for about nine days.

In 2023, the protest again started on September 20 and continued for 7-8 days.

No protests were held in 2024 due to the Lok Sabha and assembly elections.

Meanwhile, several tribal outfits under Sanyukt Adivasi Sangathan have decided to stage a demonstration near the Raj Bhawan on Saturday in protest against Kurmi community's demand for inclusion in ST category.

Sangathan spokesperson Niranjana Toppo claimed that the Kurmi demand for ST status is illegal and the agitation will force railways to incur huge losses.

They also announced that they would submit a memorandum to Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar addressed to the President, Droupadi Murmu, against the Kurmi community's agitation.

DGP Anurag Gupta had instructed police on Friday to increase vigilance, deploy additional forces with protective gear, install CCTV and drones at sensitive stations, and coordinate with railway police to prevent stone-pelting and ensure passenger safety during the agitation. PTI ANB MNB