Kolkata, May 9 (). The ongoing cold war between the Trinamool Congress and the people of the Kurmi community in West Bengal seems to be taking a serious turn as the Kurmi community is demanding Scheduled Tribe status for itself. The leaders have called for a complete boycott of the upcoming panchayat elections in the state.
The call to boycott the rural body elections came soon after community members launched the All Wall to Kurmi campaign in three tribal-dominated areas of Jangalmahal spread over West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia districts. The parties said that the walls of properties of community members cannot be used for political campaigns for the upcoming panchayat elections.
Trinamool MLA Ajit Maity’s remarks on Sunday comparing the Kurmi movement with the Khalistan movement further angered the members of the community. He has now called for a complete boycott of the Panchayat elections.
Though Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself has apologized on behalf of Ajit Maity for his remarks, the Kurmi leader was not satisfied with it.
According to Kurmi leader Ajit Prasad Mahto, the chief minister has always turned a deaf ear to their demands.
Mahato said, “Our one-point demand is that the state government should send the material and justification copies to the central government for notifying Kurmis as a Scheduled Tribe.” If our demands are not met, we will boycott the panchayat elections. People in the community will also not allow political parties to use the walls of their properties for election graffiti.
Recently a bilateral meeting was held between the state government and the leaders of the Kurmi community. However, no positive result could come out of the meeting. On the same day the Kurmi leaders threatened to take forward their agitation.
SGK/ANM
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