Tribal Protest Against Inclusion of Kurmi Community in ST List | 08 Oct 2025

Why in News?

A large-scale protest and sit-in (dharna) was held outside in Chandil by tribal social organisations. The protest was aimed at opposing the demand to include the Kurmi (Kudmi) community in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list. 

  • A delegation submitted a memorandum addressed to the President of India, demanding that the government not include Kurmis in the ST list.

Reasons Behind Tribal Opposition to the Inclusion of Kurmis in the ST List

  • Perceived Threat to Tribal Identity: Tribal speakers asserted that including Kurmis in the ST list undermines the distinct identity, traditions, and constitutional rights of existing tribal communities.
    • Tribal organisations from Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, and West Bengal expressed unity in opposing the move.
  • Historical & Cultural Grounds: Protesters referenced tribal icons like Birsa Munda, Sidho-Kanhu, Budhu Bhagat, and Ganga Narayan Singh, emphasizing that the tribal identity is rooted in a unique socio-cultural history, distinct from that of Kurmis.
  • Opposition to ‘Rail Roko’ Movement: The ongoing "Rail Teka Andolan" (Rail Blockade Movement) by Kurmis for ST status was criticized by tribal leaders as an unjust pressure tactic that challenges tribal autonomy.

Kurmi Community

  • About: Kurmis are mainly a peasant community, with their population concentrated in the Junglemahal areas or the Chota Nagpur plateau of West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha, and a few bordering areas of Bihar. 
  • Background of Caste Status: Kurmis were included among the communities classified as STs in the 1931 Census and were excluded from the ST list in 1950. 
    • After 1950, when the ST list was prepared in independent India, Kurmis did not find a place on it. 
      • The Kurmis argue that in the British era, various documents listed them as a tribe and an aboriginal community of India, and they want that identity restored. Also, they claim to follow the religious rituals of STs.
    • In 2004, the Jharkhand government recommended that the community be added to the ST list rather than be categorised as OBCs.