Bengal Elections 2026: In Jhargram’s Assembly Constituencies, Kurmis Caught Between Recognition And Reality

For Aloka Mahato, the burden of work doesn't stop her from paying an early visit to her polling booth in West Bengal's Binpur of Jhargram district. In her late fifties, her daily job as a leaf collector in Belpahari's forests prevents her from doing a lot of things she would have ideally wanted to. Like catching a glimpse of Prime Minister Narendra Modi enjoying his jhalmuri in Jhargram a few days back, or Mithun Chakraborty who paid a visit to the nearby town of Silda. 

Her body finds it difficult to shed the fatigue and pain of carrying the heavy load on her head through the day. Taking care of her seven-year-old grandson, Aloka's livelihood depends on the four-kilometre walk with a load of kendu or sal leaves on her head. "If things were alright, would I have to keep doing this every day?" asks Aloka, who earns around 150 rupees a day. There are no jobs around, she adds, a reason for perennial frustration in the area. 

Belpahari, of the Jangal Mahal area, once infamous for episodes of Maoist violence, finds it difficult to shed the torment of the past. "Life is pretty peaceful here now. However, it is difficult to move beyond an association like this if there aren't positive factors influencing change like creation of jobs, facilities," Aloka says. The village, 200 kilometres from Kolkata and close to the Bengal-Jharkhand border, is also a strong point of contention for the camps in the fray. However, for Aloka's people, the Kurmis, the existent political binary doesn’t warrant any hope.

The Kurmis, an OBC (Other Backward Classes) group, has been in a long-standing conflict with state and central governments, over their demand for ST (Scheduled Tribes) status and constitutional recognition of Kurmali language under the Eighth Schedule. Constituting around 30% of the electorate in all major assembly constituencies of Jhargram, the Kurmis play a crucial role in determining the political tidings of the constituencies, especially Binpur, Gopiballavpur, and Jhargram. Numerous demonstrations have been staged by the Kurmi Adivasi Samaj across Jangal Mahal districts of Purulia, Bankura, Paschim Medinipur and Jhargram districts demanding recognition. 

Despite numerous protests, the Kurmis await ST status recognition which is usually recommended by the Tribal Affairs Ministry in consultation between the centre and state government. Despite putting their weight behind the ruling dispensation in the state over the years who officially recognised the Kurmali language in 2018, several clarifications raised by the Home Ministry still await answers from the state government's side since 2017. However, the group finds it difficult to put their weight behind opposing camps as well, as they feel unheard across the spectrum. For the Kurmis, their demand goes beyond mere recognition. It speaks of enhanced representation, access and opportunities in important circles, education and jobs.

Sulekha Mahato, in her mid-sixties, finds it difficult to remain hopeful. She believes when leaders of their own community have failed to give them direction it is unfair to expect a lot from others. "There's a water crisis in the months without rain, there’s a crisis in receiving permanent housing, there's a job crisis everywhere, medical facilities around have a crisis of necessary equipment - the list goes on," she says. Unlike Aloka, she has not been able to carry on with the physical toil that leaf-picking requires. Her son has been able to secure neither a job nor the recently launched unemployment benefit scheme. When asked if she has approached authorities, she quickly interjected, "We don't ask a lot of questions. Because they are hardly answered. Instead local leaders might mark us." 

The community, despite being represented by leaders across all camps and as independent outfits, stands at an unusual crossroads. They fail to see any constructive development in Belpahari and other areas of Jangal Mahal. Aloka and Sulekha term it as the 'politics of eyewash'. As the community lies divided in their loyalties, the constituencies of Jhargram await tight contests. Despite being left with little choice, for numerous women like Aloka and Sulekha, elections bring hope. In a world aggressively depriving them of the same, the vote comes with a sense of choice and autonomy. What if the two votes from their end play deciding factor in Belpahari? Entertaining the prospect for a sweet second, they laugh.