Huge rally in Seraikela for ST status to Kudmis

Kudmi leaders press for inclusion of Kudmali language in 8th Schedule, warn of fierce agitation if demands not met

Jamshedpur: The Bada Kankra Maidan of Seraikela saw a huge gathering of Kudmi Mahato community in support of the demand to include Kudmali language in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Gomia MLA Lambodar Mahato, the former MP of Jamshedpur Shailendra Mahato, former Ghatshila MLA Surya Singh Besra, West Bengal Kudmi leader Ajit Mahato, Harmohan Mahato and Padma Shree awardee Chhutni Mahato attended the rally and lent their support to the demand of Kudmi community.

As expected, the gathering of the Kudmi Mahato community on Wednesday at Bada Kankra Maidan in Seraikela was a very large one. The demandthat the Kudmi community be classified as a Scheduled Tribe and that the Kudmali language be listed in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution evoked a huge response from the crowd.

The Gomia MLA Lambodar Mahto, the former Jamshedpur MP Shailendra Mahto and the former Ghatshila MLA Surya Singh Besra demanded that the Kurmali language be listed in the Constitution’s 8th Schedule.

Arjun Munda, a current Union Minister and three-time former Chief Minister of Jharkhand, was viciously attacked by former Ghatshila MLA Surya Singh Besra.

He charged that the union minister had cheated the Kudmis of the state.

He claimed that only when the Kudmis in this region are recognised as scheduled tribes can the idea of a tribal state of Jharkhand come true.

He said there was a plot by the central government to exclude the Kudmi community from the list of tribal groups.

He said that his support is not only for political reasons. He truly feels that the goal of building a real tribal state would be achieved only when Kudmis are included in the list of Scheduled Tribes.

At the same time, Union Minister Arjun Munda was also targeted by Harmohan Mahato. According to him, the whole state of Jharkhand would experience an economic blockade on the same lines as the Rail Roko movement of Bihar, Bengal, and Orissa on September 23, 2023, if the MPs from Jharkhand do not bring the Kudmis’ demand before the House during the oncoming winter session of the Parliament.

On the other hand, Harmohan Mahato also criticized Gitashree Oraon’s comments and said that her family is unaware of the real pain of those who took part in the agitation for Jharkhand state.

On the other side, Lambodar Mahato, a Gomiya MLA also warned of ferocious protests in support of the demand to recognize Kudmis as scheduled tribes.

He said that he would raise this demand in the Jharkhand Assembly.

He asserted that he has consistently made this demand in the Assembly and that the Indian government must fulfill this demand at all costs, comply with it.

Prior to this, a memorandum was submitted to the Prime Minister through the Deputy Commissioner.

One by one, each speaker addressed the audience and made a commitment of support to the demand relating to inclusion of Kudmis in the list of scheduled tribes.