Ranchi: The Adivasi Hunkar Maharally will be held on October 17 at Prabhat Tara Ground in Dhurwa, Ranchi, as a show of unity among tribal communities opposing the demand to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Kurmi or Kudmi community. Organised by Adivasi Bachao Morcha along with several tribal organisations from across Jharkhand, the rally is being described as a call to protect tribal identity, constitutional rights, and future representation.
Members of the organising committee said during a press conference that 33 tribal communities, including Santhal, Munda, Oraon, Ho, Bhumij, Kharia, Bedia, Lohra, Korba, Birhor, Chero, Bhogta, and Khairwar, will participate in the rally. They said the objective is to convey to the central government that the inclusion of Kurmis in the ST list is unacceptable.
Speakers asserted that the Kurmi or Kudmi community belongs to the Other Backward Class category and that efforts to associate them with tribal uprisings are a distortion of history. They said figures like Raghunath Mahato, Buli Mahato, and Chanku Mahato are being falsely linked to historic tribal revolts such as the Chuad, Kol, and Santhal rebellions, which were led by tribal leaders.
The organisers argued that Kurmis are economically well-off and engaged in trade, agriculture, and industry, whereas tribal communities have historically been protectors of land, forests, and cultural heritage. They warned that granting ST status to Kurmis would endanger the rights of existing tribal groups by reducing their share in the 26 percent reservation, as well as their access to education, jobs, and political representation.
They added that such a move would also affect land rights protected under the PESA Act and the CNT/SPT Acts, and could lead to large-scale tribal displacement.
Among those present at the press conference were Laxmikant Munda, Devkumar Dhan, Prem Munda, Shahi Balku, Jaglal Pahan, and Bablu Munda, along with members of various tribal organisations.