RANCHI: The Kurmi community has threatened to boycott the by-poll and abstain from voting if the central and state governments do not come forward to negotiate the Kurmi community's three-point demands within 15 days.
Their three-point demands include, ST-status, government recognition of the Sarna religion, and inclusion of the Kurmali language in the Eighth Schedule.
Notably, the Kurmi community has long demanded inclusion in the list of Scheduled Tribes (ST) and recognition of the Kurmali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, with their push intensifying in recent years.
The first major protest began in 2022 and continued for nine days.
Recently on September 20, they had launched a statewide ‘Rail Teka – Dahar Chheka’ (Train and Road Blocked) Movement across Jharkhand to press their long-standing demand for ST status, disrupting several trains passing through the state.
Protesters had also taken to the tracks at stations including Muri, Tatisilwai, and Mesra, adjacent to the capital, Ranchi.
Similar blockades were seen in Bokaro and Giridih, where protesters took control of smaller railway stations, in some places as early as 4:00 am. According to Kurmi activist Amit Mahto, the decision has been taken in the interest of the community's rights and privileges.
"This time, candidates in Ghatsila will have to work hard to garner votes, as 30,000 to 40,000 members of the Kurmi community will abstain from voting,” said Amit Mahto.
If the government initiates negotiations on the three-point demands within 15 days, they will reconsider the boycott, he added. Mahto informed that an awareness campaign is being launched regarding the three demands to make everyone in the community aware of their rights. So far, the campaign has been conducted in 93 villages, he said.
“A meeting of the Kurmi community has also been called in Ghatsila on October 26, where leaders of the community will gather and urge the government to fulfill their demands,” said Mahto.
According to the agitating leaders, the Kurmi community was listed among the aboriginal tribes under notification no. 550 in 1913 during the British era. However, when the Centre notified ST lists on September 6, 1950, Kurmis were put placed in the list of other backward castes (OBC) in Bihar, Bengal, and Odisha.