Kolkata, 20 September (IANS) The movement by the tribal Kurmi Samaj was minimal in West Bengal, even about 21 trains were dyed, short -lived or canceled in the state.
The state police administration took a strong stand in view of the decision of the Calcutta High Court, which called the movement ‘illegal and unconstitutional’.
Adequate police personnel and Railway Protection Force (RPF) were deployed at various stations, stopping any kind of road and rail blockade.
Purulia District Superintendent of Police Abhijeet Bandyopadhyay said, “There is no blockade anywhere. Public life is normal everywhere.”
Naka checking, Bandwan-Jharkhand border in Jharkhand, Barabazar-Jharkhand Seema and Chavakbazar are running.
On Thursday, a Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court upheld its previous order of 2023, and directed the Indian Railway officials to take appropriate action with the West Bengal government, so that the Rail Blockade Movement by the Kurmi community on September 20 does not affect the normal life in the state on 20 September.
Last month, the tribal Kurmi Samaj, the largest union of the Kurmi community, gave a call for a rail blockade simultaneously in tribal dominated pockets in three states of West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha, demanding the status of Scheduled Tribes (ST) for the community.
On Thursday, the Division Bench of Justice Paul and Justice Das Dey noticed that the Calcutta High Court’s directions in September 2023 should be chased by railway officials and state government this time to control the proposed railway blockade on 20 September.
Following the High Court’s decision, Purulia District Superintendent of Police Abhijeet Bandyopadhyay held several press conferences and said that there could not be an unconstitutional movement.
On Saturday morning, the traffic movement in Purulia district was normal, in which policemen appealed people to maintain normal lives. The situation was normal in neighboring West Midnapur, Bankura and Jhargram districts.
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Sch/PGH