The arrest of two Kurmi community leaders, Rajesh Mahato and Nishikanta Mahato, in relation to the recent attack on Abhishek Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress national general secretary and Lok Sabha member, has sparked widespread protests in the tribal-dominated districts of Bankura, Purulia, West Midnapore, and Jhargram.
The Kurmi community, in an attempt to express their discontent, has resorted to road blockades, processions, and rallies, effectively paralyzing normal functioning in certain pockets.
Leaders from the Kurmi community have declared that these protest demonstrations will persist and intensify in the days to come unless the arrested leaders are immediately released.
Additionally, they have expressed their ongoing commitment to advocating for Scheduled Tribe status.
Ajit Mahato, a prominent Kurmi leader, stated, “Our movement will continue, and we demand immediate release of the arrested leaders while simultaneously pushing for the recognition of our community as a Scheduled Tribe.”
In response to the situation, Dilip Ghosh, BJP’s national vice-president and Lok Sabha member, cast doubts on the authenticity of the attack on Abhishek Banerjee, suggesting that it may have been staged by the Trinamool Congress to garner public sympathy.
Ghosh remarked, “Allegations have been made regarding the smashing of the rear glass of State Minister Birbaha Hansda’s vehicle, but there is no corroborating eyewitness account. I suspect it is a cheap publicity stunt that will ultimately prove futile.”
The police’s actions were triggered by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s statements at a public rally in Salboni, where she accused the BJP of attempting to incite caste-based violence, similar to that witnessed in Manipur, by pitting the Kurmi community against other tribal groups.
The sequence of events unfolded with Rajesh Mahato, a teacher in a state-run school, being transferred from his native district to a distant one, followed by his subsequent arrest on Sunday.
Shortly thereafter, his close confidante Nishikanta was also apprehended. To date, a total of nine individuals have been arrested in connection with the incident, and they are expected to be presented before a district court on Monday. (Edited)