Kurmis should be kept out of UCC, says West Bengal CM; promises to withdraw old cases

West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari accused the previous government of creating rifts within the Kurmi community and said his government would fulfill the promises made in its election manifesto. File | Photo credit: Debasish Bhaduri

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday (September 20, 2026) said the Kurmi community would be kept out of the purview of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and announced that cases registered against members of the community during protests under the previous Trinamool Congress government would be withdrawn.

The Kurmis are a prominent community in Jangalmahal state. They are currently classified as Other Backward Class and claim Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Members of the Kurmi community staged road and rail blockades across parts of West Bengal during the previous tenure of the Trinamool Congress government, demanding ST status and the inclusion of the Kurmal language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. Mr. Adhikari also promised to push for constitutional recognition of Kurmal and Rajbanshi languages.

The West Bengal government said it would submit a “Further Joint Justification Report” to the Center to support the inclusion of the Kurmi community in the ST list.

Committee for UCC

Regarding the UCC, the state government has set up a committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Gopal Desai to work out ways to implement the proposed code in the state. The government has already promised to keep ST out of the ambit of the UCC.

Addressing the Karam festival program in Purulia, the Chief Minister said that many leaders of the Kurmi community had approached him to keep the community out of the UCC area.

Accusing the previous government of creating discord in the Kurmi community, Mr. Adhikari said his government would fulfill the promises made in its election manifesto.

“The previous government (in West Bengal) created division among the Kurmis… It never wanted them to remain united. On the other hand, we will keep all the promises made to the community in our ‘Sankalp Patra’ before this year’s assembly elections,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that the people of the region voted for the BJP in the last few years and assured that they would protect the language, diversity and natural resources of the region.

He criticized the previous administration, claiming it “sold the hills” and vowed that no natural resources would be auctioned off under his tenure.

“It is our responsibility to protect the dignity of language, culture, tradition and law. The previous government even sold hills! I promised that no one will touch them. I will not allow anyone to touch the gifts of nature. No mountain must be auctioned,” he said. Mr. Adhikari also announced an allocation of ₹50 crore for the Kurmi Development Board and said the amount would be increased if necessary.

Several members of the Kurmi community, including prominent leader Ajit Mahato and Purulia BJP MP Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato, participated in the festival.

Published – 20 Sep 2026 22:24 IST