Purulia, West Bengal: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday announced that her government has started a survey to enumerate the population of the Mahato community amid their long-pending demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Addressing an administrative programme, she said that her government would also write to the Centre seeking recognition of Sarnaism as a separate religion as being demanded by tribals, and asserted that if it is not given, she would start a massive demonstration.
Banerjee's announcements ahead of the Lok Sabha elections are seen as an effort to woo both Mahatos and tribals to consolidate her vote bank in the Jangal Mahal region in the state's western part, which was swept by the BJP in 2019.
"The Mahatos have a long-standing demand to declare them as STs. But I will tell them that it is not in my hands. So, please do not blame me for it. I would like to inform you that we have started a geographical survey to find the actual percentage of Mahato population in the state. We have over 6 per cent tribal population in West Bengal," she said.
Banerjee said she would look into the demands of the community and make efforts to fulfil them.
"I don't want to create differences between the Mahatos and tribals, and don't want them to fight before the elections," she added.
Significantly, the BJP won all five Lok Sabha seats in 2019 in the Jangal Mahal region that has a note-worthy population of Kurmis, which also includes Mahatos, and tribals.
Kurmis led massive demonstrations in parts of the state last year, along with neighbouring Jharkhand and Odisha, demanding ST status.
Pointing to the legislations made by her government, Banerjee said that nobody will be able to 'snatch' land from tribals.
Do not pay heed to the 'false promises' of the BJP before the elections, she told the gathering.
"BJP lies and tries to stoke communal tensions every day. They make tall promises before every election, and then after the election forget those very conveniently... Do not pay heed to those promises," she said.
Published 27 February 2024, 14:18 IST