Kurmi leader cum teacher transferred and arrested for attack on Abhishek's convoy
A government school assistant teacher and prominent figure in the Kurmi movement in West Bengal has been arrested by the state police.
He was arrested for his alleged involvement in the attack on Trinamool Congress' national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee.
The teacher, Rajesh Mahato, who was abruptly transferred overnight, was taken into custody, along with seven others. They are scheduled to appear before a lower district court on Sunday.
The arrest of Mahato follows two significant developments related to the convoy attack on Abhishek Banerjee.
During a rally in Salboni, West Midnapore district, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of instigating caste-based violence and attempting to create a Manipur-like situation in West Bengal by pitting the Kurmi community against other tribal communities.
In response, senior Kurmi leaders, including Alit Mahato and Sunman Mahato, have threatened larger agitations if stringent police action is taken against community members and leaders involved in the attack on the convoy.
Fifteen individuals have been named in the FIR filed by the state police regarding the attack. Rajesh Mahato was among the individuals mentioned in the FIR.
Political observers anticipate that the Kurmi movement will pose a persistent challenge for the state administration and the ruling Trinamool Congress. The movement has begun to extend beyond its traditional strongholds in the Junglemahal area, which encompasses the tribal-dominated districts of West Midnapore, Bankura, and Purulia.
The main grievance of the Kurmi community is the non-recognition of their status as representatives of primitive tribes by the West Bengal Cultural Research Institute, a state government body dedicated to indigenous tribes.
They allege that the institute, as well as the state government, has failed to submit a comprehensive report to the Union government, thereby obstructing the process of recognizing the Kurmi community under the Scheduled Tribe category.
A meeting between community leaders and the state government was held on April 11 at the state secretariat of Nabanna to address these concerns.
However, the meeting did not yield any positive outcomes, leading Kurmi leaders to threaten further agitation.
This ongoing Kurmi movement poses a significant challenge to the state government and the Trinamool Congress, as it continues to gain traction beyond its traditional boundaries. (Edited)