Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, Oct 16: The Kurmi community, inspired by the success of the five day Rail Roko movement in demand for its being recognized in the list of Schedule Tribe, has prompted the leadership to further intensify the movement and pressurize the government into yielding place in the ST list. A meeting to the effect was organized in which Kurmi community leaders presented their opinions and discussed measures to further intensify the movement for ensuring the government’s bending to their demand. During the meeting, men and women of the Kurmi community who had participated in the five day rail roko movement with grit and resolve were honoured.
Kurmi community leader of West Bengal who had played a defining role in the five day Rail Roko agitation, Ajit Prasad Mahto was the chief guest at the meeting. The meeting was attended by Ajit Prasad Mahato, the leader of society in West Bengal and who played a major role in Rail Roko Movement as the chief guest while Shital Ohdar, Kurmi leader from Ranchi was present as the special guest. They were presented yellow scarves, the Kurmi symbol.
Presiding the meeting, Harmohan Mahto said that the proposals that included demand for the status of ST being given to Kurmis, inclusion of Kurmali language in the Eighth Schedule and passing of a bill to the effect during the winter session of the Lok Sabha, census count on caste basis in Jharkhand and land survey would be pursued in a determined manner.
Sharing his experiences during the successful rail roko movement, Ajit Mahto said that the demands would be persisted with if the government chose to ignore the Kurmi demands. He said, “In case if our demands are ignored, we will apply more pressure and the agitation would be further i intensified. A meeting will be organized in Ranchi on October 30 during which various demands would be reviewed or included. Representatives of all Kurmi organizations in Jharkhand will be present. Thereafter, our economic blockade plans would be announced.”
Sheetal Ohdar said that the Kurmi communities in Jharkhand, Bengal and Odisha states would participate in the movement in a big way after deciding the outline of the upcoming movement
