Following a request for an indefinite rail blockade by the Kurmi community in three states starting on Wednesday, at least 20 trains were cancelled and another 47 were diverted under the control of South Eastern Railways (SER) and East Coast Railways (ECoR) in Jharkhand and Odisha.
A number of Kurmi organisations have called for an ongoing rail strike starting on September 20 at nine train stations in Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Odisha in order to demand Scheduled Tribe (ST) recognition and the inclusion of the Kurmali language in the Constitution’s eighth schedule. The blockage will have an impact on the rail services in these three states.
The state of Jharkhand would see four locations where the railway blockade would take place, according to Sheetal Ohdar, president of the organisation Totemik Kurmi Vikas Morcha (TKVM). These include Ghaghara under the Chakradharpur rail division, Nimdih under the Adra rail division, Gomoh under the Dhanbad rail division, and Muri under the Ranchi rail division.
According to Ohdar, the blockade will occur in Khemasuli and Kustaur in West Bengal and Harichandanpur, Jaraikela, and Dhanpur in Odisha.
According to the Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of the Ranchi division, the Railway Police Force has deployed a significant number of officers at important stations to prevent any untoward situations. In order to maintain order, the Railways also asked the Jharkhand government for assistance.
According to Sheetal Ohdar, thousands of members of the Kurmi community would take part in the protests wearing traditional attire.
The Kurmi community staged a five-day, similar protest last year on 20 September by blocking railway tracks.
Post Your Comments