Ranchi: The Rail Roko movement called by Kurmi demanding to include them in ST category made impact on rail movement in some districts of the state. A large number of people of Kudmi community gathered near Neemdih station of Seraikela-Kharsawan.
There is also news of some people clashing with the police near Sonua police station in West Singhbhum. Hundreds of men and women from Sonua are moving towards Ghaghra in small and big vehicles. The administration is alert regarding the people’s performance.
People of the Kudmi community are agitating in Jharkhand. They are demanding the inclusion of the Kudmi community in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Kudmali language in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution. The movement has been withdrawn in Bengal after the intervention of the High Court, but the protest is intense in Jharkhand. People came down on the tracks at Muri and Gomo stations. At the same time, Railways is alert before the beginning of the movement. So far three trains have been cancelled.
This is the third time such a movement is witnessed by the Kudmi community in three states. Their demand from the Center is that they should be given tribal status. At present these people come under the category of OBC. According to the organizations, this community belongs to Jharkhand, but the people here do not accept them. Bengal and Odisha also have a large population of the Kudmi community. In such a situation, they should be included in the Scheduled Tribes.
According to an estimate, the population of Kudmi community in Jharkhand is 22 percent. People of the Kudmi community have withdrawn the movement in Bengal. Prominent leader of the society in Bengal, Ajit Prasad Mahato said that pressure has been put on us. Keeping in mind the opinion of the High Court and the current circumstances, the movement is being withdrawn in Bengal. Several trains were cancelled and diverted by South Eastern Railway (SER) due to the indefinite ‘Rail Roko’ agitation of the Kurmi community which began today.
The Kurmi community has been demanding Schedule Tribe status and the inclusion of the Kurmali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. The agitation was taking place in Jharkhand and Odisha while it was called off in the neighbouring West Bengal due to the intervention of the Calcutta High Court.
In view of the agitation by Kurmi Samaj, the following trains will be regulated as under:-
Cancellation of trains
- 18036 Hatia-Kharagpur Express
- 03597 Ranchi-Asansol Special
- 13320 Ranchi-Dumka Express
Cancellation of trains on
September 21 12443 Haldia-Anand Vihar Express
Trains whose routes have been diverted are:
12262 Howrah-CSMT (Mumbai) Duronto Express journey commencing on September 20 will run on a diverted route via Kharagpur-Bhadrak-Jajpur Keonjhar Road-Sambalpur City-Jharsuguda Road. 18478 Yog Nagari Rishikesh – Puri Express journey commencing on September 19 will run on a diverted route via Jharasuguda Road-Sambalpur City- Bhubaneswar.