People from the Kurmi community blocked railroad tracks in several locations in Eastern India in protest over not being recognised as a Scheduled Tribe (ST) and not having their language included in the Constitution's Eighth Schedule.

Several trains were diverted, short-terminated, or cancelled as a result of the demonstrations in West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha.

Following the Cabinet's approval of the addition of many communities in Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh on the list of Scheduled Tribes, there has been unrest for the past week.

Six Assamese communities, including Adivasi, Chutia, Koch-Rajbongshi, Matak, Moran, and Tai-Ahom, have also vowed to start an agitation over the "inordinate delay" in their inclusion in the ST list, which coincides with the Kurmis' renewed uprising.

The Kurmi community is currently recognised by the governments of Odisha, West Bengal, and Jharkhand under the Other Backward Classes category, as well as the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes category in Odisha.

The West Bengal and Jharkhand state governments, who made the most recent request in January 2021, have frequently urged the inclusion of this community on the ST list.

Source: The Hindu