Kudmis gear up for movement across three states

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, May 17: Under the leadership of the Adibasi Kudmi Samaj, a one-day central committee conference was conducted at Tiduar-Dhinda, Huchukdih township, Dobo-Rugdi, Tamulia panchayat under Chandil block. The conference, chaired by central president Shashank Shekhar Mahato, saw the participation of hundreds of social workers and intellectuals from Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Odisha.

During the conference, Ajit Prasad Mahato, the Moolkhunti Moolmanta (patron) of the tribal Kudmi Samaj, addressed the chief guest and chief speaker, highlighting the deprivation of the fundamental rights of the Kudmi Samaj as Scheduled Tribes due to the inaction of the state and central governments over the past 73 years. This demand has been consistently raised by the intellectuals within their society.

The mass movement of the tribal Kudmi community has gained significant momentum spreading from Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha to the Red Fort in Delhi. However, both the state and central governments have been slow to respond seemingly in a state of slumber. As a result, the movement is intensifying posing challenges for the government to address.

Following the Rail Rok movement in Bengal, numerous leaders have abandoned their political parties to join the Halud Jhar, Jhanda Gada Samaj movement. They are urging people not to vote for the ruling parties at the central and state levels. The Mamta Banerjee government is feeling the impact of this movement but the fight will persist until their demands are met. Similar movements are expected to take place simultaneously in all three states.

The community has planned a series of actions, including the gherao (siege) of the Vidhan Sabha during the Jharkhand Monsoon session, an indefinite Rail Roko movement starting from September 20 and an economic blockade across Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal if the Kudmi tribe is not listed in the Scheduled Tribe category.

The society is also preparing for a mass movement against the ruling parties in Jharkhand and Odisha, which will be announced in the upcoming program.

Advocate Sunil Kumar Gulyar, Union General Secretary, stated that the primary objectives of their movement are to secure Scheduled Tribe status for the Kudmi community, include the Kudmali language in the Eighth Schedule and implement the tribal religion code. Extensive preparations for the assembly siege during the monsoon session are underway.

The program was attended by various dignitaries, including Central Vice President Dr. Sujit Kumar Mahato, Central General Secretary Advocate Sunil Kumar Gulyar, Central Co-Secretary Jairam Mahato, State President Padmalochan Mahato, Central Vice President Shashadhar Kaduar, and Chariguru Santosh Katiar, who addressed the gathering.

The central committee formally announced the members of the central jury, and Moolkhunti Moolmanta, administered the oath of office to all the members.

For the Odisha State Committee, President Manoj Kumar Mahanta, General Secretary Dal Govind Mahanta, Convenor Sanjeev Mahanta, and other members presented the outline of the forthcoming program in Odisha. The success of the event was greatly attributed to the contributions of Central Vice President Chhote Lal Mahato, and central members Jitan Tiduar, Ashok Punariar, Gundham Mutaruar, Prabhat Kumar Mahato, Sanjeev Kumar Mahato, Jageshwar Mahato, Kartik Bansariar, Dilip Chilbindha, and others.