Besra addresses reporters in Jamshedpur. Picture by Animesh Sengupta

July 5: The Kurmi leadership has raised the pitch for the Schedule Tribe pie after the Tribal Research Institute reportedly questioned their claim for tribal status.

Two Kurmi leaders, at separate press conferences, today demanded the inclusion of the community in the Schedule Tribe list.

Jharkhand People’s Party (JPP) president and founder-member of All Jharkhand Students Union (Ajsu) Surya Singh Besra demanded inclusion of Kurmi-Mahato in the Scheduled Tribe list.

Addressing a press conference in Jamshedpur, Besra said the Kurmi-Mahato community, which was included in the list of aborigines notified by the then home commissioner in 1913, was delisted in 1931.

“It is a conspiracy against the Kurmis who have been enjoying the facilities since 1913 but were delisted in 1931 without good reasons,” he said.

Referring to the Tribal Research Institute’s reported move to declare Kurmi-Mahatos as descendants of the Aryans, Besra said: “The lifestyle and culture of Kurmi-Mahatos resembles that of Dravidians and not Aryans which gives an ample proof that Kurmis are tribals.”

Former MP and senior BJP leader Shailendra Mahto told reporters in Ranchi that several MPs, cutting across party lines, would raise the issue during the Monsoon season of Parliament to mount pressure on the government to adopt the 1931 census.

“The percentage of population of Kurmis in unified Bihar was insignificant. But, the percentage of Kurmis in Jharkhand stands at almost 25 per cent. We are a force to reckon with in Jharkhand,” he said.