Jamshedpur: Central General Secretary of Adivasi Kurmi Samaj, Advocate Sunil Mahto, has accused the state government of making misleading statements regarding the Kurmi community. He asserted that historical records, including the 1901 Census, clearly list Kurmi Mahto and other tribes as Aboriginal. He argued that the Chotanagpur Tenancy (CNT) Act of 1908 was specifically designed to protect the land rights of Aboriginal Raiyats—a term used before the classifications of ST, SC, OBC, or even Adivasi were introduced.
Advocate Mahto pointed out that after the Customary Law for Aboriginals was officially notified in 1913, Kurmi Mahto and other tribal landowners were recognized as Aboriginal Raiyats in the CNT Act, a designation that remained in place until November 5, 1955. He questioned the Jharkhand government’s claim that the term “Kurmi Adivasi” never appeared in the CNT Act, emphasizing that even today, the Indian Constitution does not use the term Adivasi, nor does it grant official certificates under this designation.
According to Advocate Mahto, a fundamental issue lies in the state’s interpretation of the Kurmi identity. He alleged that while the controversy surrounds the Kurmi community, the government falsely conflates it with the Kurmi caste, leading to misrepresentation in official discourse.
“Kurmi Mahatos in Jharkhand are even older Adivasis than the officially recognized Adivasis,” he stated, alleging that Christian missionaries have conspired to suppress Kurmi s’ claims to tribal status. He further claimed that the inclusion of Kurmi s in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list would lead to resistance against religious conversions, a fact well understood by missionaries operating in the region.
Advocate Mahto cited an Anthropological Survey of India report, which he claims proves that Kurmi and Kurmi are distinct communities. Historically, he argued, from 1793 to 1955, Kurmi Raiyats had land protections similar to that of tribals, and their exclusion from the ST list was orchestrated to enable land grabs.
Mahto has urged the Jharkhand government to submit a factual report to the central government to restore the Kurmi community’s constitutional rights. He maintained that the Kurmi s’ historical classification as Aboriginal Raiyats justifies their inclusion in the ST list, ensuring legal recognition and protection of their ancestral land rights.
