Train services hit as Kurmis stage stir in Bengal demanding ST status

Kolkata: The Kurmi agitation on Tuesday disrupted public life in various parts of eastern India demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status and inclusion of Kurmali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, affecting train services in West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs requesting to fulfill the demands of the Kurmis. The letter was written by Sanjay Bansal, Secretary of the State Backward Classes Welfare Department to Anil Kumar Jha, Secretary of the Central Tribal Department. The letter proposed to place Kurmis in the Scheduled Tribe list of the state.

In view of the Kurmi agitation, train services in West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha were badly disrupted for the fourth consecutive day on Friday. More than 60 trains have been canceled, while the regular operation of about three dozen other trains has also been affected. Since September 20, thousands of agitators have blocked railway tracks demanding ST status for the Kurmi caste.

Among the trains that were canceled are 12814/12813 Tatanagar-Howrah-Tatanagar Steel Express, 12021/12022 Howrah-Barbil-Howrah Janshatabdi Express, 22861 Howrah-Titlagarh-Kantabhanji Ispat Express, 13512/13511 Asansol-Tatanagar-Asansol Express, 18183 Tatanagar-Danapur Express, 18033/18034 Howrah-Ghatsila-Howrah Express and many more.