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

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari declared on September 20, 2026, that the Kurmi community would be excluded from the scope of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and promised to withdraw previous cases registered against members of the community during protests under the Trinamool Congress government. The Kurmis, a prominent community in West Bengal's Jangalmahal region, are currently categorized as Other Backward Class and have been seeking Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

They had previously organized road and railway blockades, demanding ST status and the inclusion of the Kurmali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. Adhikari also pledged to advocate for constitutional recognition of the Kurmali and Rajbanshi languages. The West Bengal government plans to submit a "Further Common Justification Report" to the Centre to support Kurmi community inclusion in the ST list.

A committee led by former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Gopal Desai has been established to determine the implementation details of the UCC in the state. Adhikari assured that the ST would be kept outside the UCC's purview. Addressing a Karam festival in Purulia, the Chief Minister stated that community leaders had requested the government to keep the Kurmi community out of the UCC's ambit.

Adhikari accused the previous administration of creating divisions within the Kurmi community and promised to fulfill election manifesto commitments. He criticized the prior government for "selling hills" and pledged to protect the region's languages, diversity, and natural resources, vowing not to auction any natural resources during his tenure.

He announced a ₹50 crore allocation for the Kurmi Development Board, with the possibility of additional funding if needed. Several Kurmi community members, including prominent leader Ajit Mahato and Purulia BJP MP Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato, attended the event.