Kurmi Agitators End Jharkhand Rail Blockade After Centre’s Promise of Talks
Kurmi community halts major protest as Centre promises meeting on ST status and language demands.
The Kurmi community in Jharkhand, which initiated a widespread railway blockade to demand Scheduled Tribe (ST) status and the inclusion of the Kurmali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, has withdrawn its agitation from all but two stations on Sunday, following assurances from the Centre for a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The protests, led under the banner of Adivasi Kurmi Samaj (AKS), had disrupted rail services across multiple districts on Saturday.
Sheetal Ohdar, central president of Kurmi Vikas Morcha, confirmed that the agitation has been lifted at all stations except Sini in Seraikela-Kharswan district, which will be withdrawn soon, and Pradhan Khanta in Dhanbad district, where the blockade will continue until the Centre confirms a date for the promised meeting. “We have decided to withdraw the agitation after the assurance from the office of the Union Home Minister of a meeting with Amit Shah. However, the date has not been allotted yet,” Ohdar told PTI.
On Saturday, thousands of protesters defied prohibitory orders, occupying railway tracks at stations including Muri, Rai, and Tatisilwai in Ranchi district, Barkakana in Ramgarh, Parasnath in Giridih, Charhi in Hazaribag, Pradhan Khanta in Dhanbad, Galudih in East Singhbhum, and Chandrpura in Bokaro. The agitation disrupted over 100 passenger trains, leading to cancellations, diversions, and short-terminations in the Ranchi division of South Eastern Railway and the Dhanbad division of East Central Railway.
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The partial withdrawal of the blockade signals hope for dialogue, but the continuation at Pradhan Khanta underscores the community’s resolve to secure a firm commitment from the Centre. As Jharkhand awaits the scheduled talks, the Kurmi community’s demands for ST status and linguistic recognition remain in focus.
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