Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, Nov 23: A massive “Kurmi Adhikar Maharally,” organised jointly by the Vrihad Jharkhand Samanvay Samiti and Kurmi Sena, was held at Gopal Maidan in Bistupur on Sunday, where thousands from the Kurmi community demanded long-pending constitutional rights. Speakers accused successive governments of neglecting their identity and strongly reiterated the demand for including Kurmali language in the Eighth Schedule and granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Kurmi community. Community representatives also urged their elected MPs and MLAs to support the movement instead of “remaining silent for political convenience.”
Jamshedpur West MLA Saryu Roy, attending as chief guest, said the demands of the Kurmi community are “entirely constitutional and supported by historical records.” He added, “The solution lies with the government. Both state and Centre should invite representatives for a table-talk and address what the community has been denied.”
Central spokesperson of Kurmi society and Jharkhand movement veteran Harmohan Mahato noted that the Winter Sessions of Parliament and the Jharkhand Assembly begin in December. “Our MPs and MLAs must exert pressure so that Kurmali language enters the Eighth Schedule and Kurmis get ST status,” he said. He also announced a grand state-level conference on January 11, 2026 in Ranchi’s Morhabadi Ground.
Kurmi Sena national president Shailendra Mahato expressed disappointment that community representatives “ignore society’s interests while others stand firmly with their people.” Young activist Amit Mahato reminded that many Kurmis sacrificed their lives in India’s freedom struggle and Jharkhand movement, yet “the fight for identity, language and culture continues.”
A martyr memorial was set up at Gopal Maidan, where leaders paid floral tributes to Nirmal Mahato, Raghunath Mahato, former MP Sunil Mahato, Vinod Bihari Mahato, Shaktinath Mahato, Chanaku Mahato, Ajit–Dhananjay Mahato, Buli Mahato and others.
