All section Close
Image Credits: Twitter/ Kamal Singh
Kurmi Community Continues 'Rail Roko' Protest Over Demand For ST Status, Train Services Affected
Writer: Ronit Kumar Singh
A confident and reliable journalist who always desires to toss the unheard voices. I cover politics and governance extensively through stories.
West Bengal, 22 Sep 2022 7:00 AM GMT
Editor : Shiva Chaudhary |
A post-graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication with relevant skills, specialising in content editing & writing. I believe in the precise dissemination of information based on facts to the public.
Creatives : Ronit Kumar Singh
A confident and reliable journalist who always desires to toss the unheard voices. I cover politics and governance extensively through stories.
The ‘Rail Roko’ protest by the members of the Kurmi community continues at several locations in WB over demand for Scheduled Tribe status. As many as 53 trains were cancelled, and services were affected in Jharkhand, Odisha, and WB.
The 'Rail Roko' protest launched by the members of the Kurmi community continues on the second day in the Purulia district of West Bengal over the demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The protest continued for several hours, with people protesting in large numbers holding posters and placards.
In light of the protest, as many as 53 trains were cancelled, 33 trains short-terminated, and several others were rescheduled. According to Indian Railways, the services of trains were affected in parts of Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. The protest broke out at Kemasuli and Kastaur stations in West Bengal, where people were seen sitting on the railway tracks, raising slogans, seeking ST status.
According to reports, separate groups from the Jungle Mahal district joined the protest against the state and central government, demanding ST status for the Kurmi community. The members who were part of the agitation also demanded to include the Kurmali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian constitution, reported Hindustan Times.
Why Are Kurmi's Excluded From ST Class?
The census conducted in 1931 didn't include Kurmi's among the communities classified as ST, and the community members were again excluded from the list of STs in 1950. However, the government of Jharkhand recommended that the Kurmi community be included in the list of STs in 2004 rather than Other Backward Classes (OBC).
Following the recommendation, the Tribal Research Institute (TRI) of the Central Government advised that Kurmi is a sub-caste of Kunbi and different from the tribal people. The Government of India later rejected the recommendation based on reports from TRI.
The members of the Kurmi community are now recognised as OBC in several states, including West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha. The community members are staging protests to get the ST status as they believe their origin is connected to tribal groups of India.
Also Read: NIA, ED Crackdown On Terror Links: Over 100 PFI Activists Arrested Nationwide, Most From Kerala
Must Reads
We are an independent and public-spirited digital media platform for Indian millennials. We report news and issues that matter as well as give you the opportunity to take action.
