Kurmi/Kudmi Vikas Morcha organised a rally at Morhabadi ground to press for inclusion of Kurmi caste in scheduled tribe (ST) category, listing of Kudmali language in eighth schedule of constitution and implementation of Sarna code in state on Sunday.
Kurmi leaders from various political parties and social groups including Minister and AJSU leader Chandraprakash Choudhary and JMM MLA Jagannath Mahto participated in the rally.
Addressing the gathering CP Choudhary said Kurmi must ensure that political parties commits in their election manifesto for including them as ST before extending support in the coming elections. He said that Kurmi/ Kudmi Vikas Morcha should approach all political parties in this regard.
“The community has been cheated by various political parties for long and it was time the entire caste unites on the issue,” the Minister said.
“Our community members feel that injustice has been done to them by removing them from ST list and it is being reflected in the large gathering at Morhabadi today,” he added.
JMM leader Jagannath Mahto said that this time the Kurmi community should fight a ‘do or die’ battle for their demands.
President of the Morcha, Sheetal Ohdar, said state government should take a cabinet decision related to inclusion of Kurmi as ST and send a recommendation on this effect to the central Government before the Lok Sabha elections are announced.
Ohdar said the entire community should oppose BJP in the general and the state assembly elections in case the state government fails to fulfill the demand.
Earlier, thousands of people from different parts of the state arrived at the ground beating drums and performing cultural shows including chhau dance and natua dance.