Ranchi, Sep 18 (PTI) AJSU party on Thursday announced that it will join and lead the Kurmi community’s proposed ‘Rail Teka’ (rail blockade) agitation on September 20, in support of their long-standing demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status and inclusion of the Kurmali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, a party official said.
The agitation has been called under the banner of Adivasi Kurmi Samaj (AKS) in Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha.
“The AJSU party has decided not only to extend its full support, but also participate in the agitation. AJSU party leaders in Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha will lead the protest in their respective areas,” AJSU central general secretary and former MLA Lambodar Mahto told a press conference here.
He said Giridih MP Chandra Prakash Choudhary will lead the protest in Dhanbad, Giridih and Bokaro, while Mandu MLA Nirmal Mahto will lead the agitation in Ramgarh, Hazaribag and Chatra.
Similarly, senior party leaders would lead the protest in different districts.
“I will urge all political parties of the state including BJP, Congress, JMM, left parties, JLKM and others to stand with the justified demand of Kurmi community,” he said.
Mahto said their demands include inclusion of Kurmis in ST list as it was till 1931, addition of Kurmali language in the Eighth Schedule and implementation of Sarna religious code.
Kurmi leader Om Prakash Mahto said they would block rail movements in over 100 stations across Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal.
Meanwhile, Jharkhand DGP Anurag Gupta on Thursday held a high-level meeting with senior police and railway officials to review the law and order situation in view of the agitation.
The DGP directed all SPs to ensure robust security arrangements across the state.
Gupta asked the SPs to keep special vigil in sensitive railway stations in districts such as Hazaribag, Ramgarh, Koderma, Giridih, Bokaro, Seraikela, Chaibasa, Palamu and Dumka with deployment of additional police forces.
The DGP also ordered the installation of CCTV cameras outside stations, deployment of ambulances and anti-riot vehicles, besides strengthening the intelligence network in coordination with railway police, railway protection force and government railway police to ensure safety of railways and passengers. PTI SAN SAN MNB
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