Tribals take out 'Hunkar' rally in Ranchi opposing Kurmis' demand for ST status

Ranchi, Oct 17 (PTI) Thousands of people from various tribal groups took out a rally in Ranchi on Friday to protest the Kurmi community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

The rally 'Adivasi Hunkar Maharally' was organised under the banner of Adivasi Bachao Morcha at Prabhat Tara Maidan in Dhurwa.

Adivasis from 33 communities from different parts of the state participated in the rally.

"In today's rally, a total of 33 tribal communities took part to demonstrate their unity against the Kurmi community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Until the Kurmi community's mindset changes, such movements will continue," said Geetashree Oraon, former minister and convener of Adivasi Bachao Morcha.

She said that Jharkhand's Kurmis can never become tribals. She blamed the Kurmis for the state's "failure" to implement the PESA Act and noted that numerous historical documents confirm they were never a tribal community. Their ancestors, upon learning the truth, distanced themselves from the tribal fold, Oraon claimed.

She further stated that the Kurmis once claimed descent from Shivaji, but are now wrongly pressuring the government for tribal inclusion, a move that the Adivasis will continue to oppose fiercely. She also urged the state Congress president to thoroughly review those documents.

Lakshmi Narayan Munda, one of the tribal leaders, said the Kurmis' demand for ST status is "incorrect and amounts to an encroachment on tribal rights in the state.

"All 33 tribal communities are strongly united against the Kurmis' demand for ST status. In today's rally, we have strongly raised our voices against it. We agree to prepare a unanimous proposal to oppose their demand and later present it to the government," he added.

"We strongly condemn the Kurmis' demand for ST status. It is like an attack on our 'Jal, Jungle, and Zameen' (water, forest, and land)," Munda said.

He further said, "All tribals in the state are united and aware of their rights. A conspiracy is underway to usurp the constitutional rights, political representation, reservations, and land rights of tribals. If any move to grant ST status to the Kurmi community is made, we will protest strongly." In the rally, tribal leaders, youths, and women from different districts of the state participated.

Prior to this, on October 12, under the banner of the Adivasi Astitva Bachao Morcha (Adivasi Existence Save Front), the Adivasi community had gathered in Morhabadi to protest against the Kurmi community's demand for ST status.

On September 20, thousands of protesters squatted on railway tracks at various stations across the state under the banner of Adivasi Kurmi Samaj (AKS) to press their demand for ST status for the Kurmi community and the 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 trains. Tribal groups had protested the rail blockade by the Kurmi community. PTI RPS RPS RG