KUDMI SENA - Totemic

Bankuda and Midnapore, Burdman, Malda, Murshidabad and West Dinajpur). A well-defined territory bounded by the four rivers Damodar, Kanshabati, Subarnarekha and Baitarni; it has been a part of lower Jharkhabnd, where the Totemic Kudmi Tribes have co-existed with other tribal communities. But, in due course of time, some of the Totemic Kudmi tribes along with other tribal groups have migrated to Assam (Darrang, Sonitpur, Golaghat, Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh and Jorhat), Bangladesh and other parts of West Bengal and Orissa for seeking employment. From Manbhum, the totemic tribes started to migrate along with other co-existed tribes as contract labours to Assam tea gardens in 1882 from Manbhum, they migrated Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar for their existence and survival due to terrible famines of 1770-72, 1866, 1872-74 etc. Totemic Kudmi Tribes possess a single title Mahto in Jharkhand, Mahato in West Bengal, Mohanta in Orissa and Kurmi in Assam, due to linguistic variations. However, the kudmi of Chhotanagpur (Jharkhand) and adjoining areas who were aboriginals/tribals/untouchables and different from those of north India, British Government tried to include them all under non-tribal category. At the same time, the General Secretary (Dewas Senior), All India Kurmi Kshatriya Mahasabha, vide letter No. 1945, dated 6.11.1930, requested the Home Ministry, Government of India, to include all categories of Kurmis under Kurmi Kshatriya category in 1931 Census. Whitckor Square, ICS, Deputy Secretary, Home Ministry, Government of India, vide letter No. 333/1931, dated 18.11.1930, replied that Kurmis as Per the order of Government of India, were declared as Kurmi Kshatriya. The All India Kurmi Kshatriya Mahasabha and the British Government converted the Totemic Kudmi Tribes into Kshatriya Kurmi only in 13 days. (Kedar Mahto, 1991: 54)

The president's order in 1950 under section 342 of the Constitution, however, left the vague and Dr. H. N. Kunzru and fifteen other members of the Parliament wrote a letter to the Prime Minister on the 17th Dec. 1950, seeking clarification on the issue. The reply on 15th February 1951 made it clear that the “primitive tribes mentioned in 1931 census, as distinguished from caste, were to be included as Scheduled Tribes, unless the State Government concerned that certify the omission of a particular tribe was incorrect and that the community was in fact not only a tribe but a primitive or backward tribe.” (S.R.O. 510, Sep 6, 1950 and No 2/38/50- Public Dated the 5th October 1950). The Gazette of India , May 3, 1913, PP 471
PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHORITY
No 18, Simla, Saturday, May 3, 1913
HOME DEPARTMENT NOTIFICATIONS, The 2nd May 1913
No. 550- whereas the tribes known as the Mundas, Oraons, Santhal, Hos, Bhumijs, Kharias, Ghasis, Gonds, Kandhs, Korwas, Kurmis, Malesaurias, and Pans, dwelling in the province of Bihar and Orissa have customary rules of succession and inheritance incompatible with the provisions of the Indian Succession Act, 1865 (X of 1865) and it is inexpedient to apply the provisions of this Act to the members of those tribes. In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 331 of the Indian Succession Act 1865 (X of 1865) the Governor General of Council is pleased to exempt all Mundas, Oraons, Santhals, Hos , Bhumis, Kharias, Ghasis, Goands, Kandhs, Korwas, Kurmis, Malesaurias, and Pans, dwelling in the province of Bihar and Orissa from the operation of the provisions of that Act. Herbert Hope Risley: Ethnographic Survey of Bengal: 1885–1891
"The Tribes and Castes of Bengal" - 1891

"The Kurmis of Bihar, who are on the whole a fine-looking race, though perhaps hardly so Aryan in appearance as Colonel Dalton seeks to make out. The caste bearing the same in Chotanagpur and Orissa belongs to an entirely different type. Short, sturdy and of very dark complexion, these kurmis closely resemble in feature the Dravidian tribes around them. In Manbhum and the north of Orissa, it is difficult to distinguish a Kurmi from a Bhumij or a Santal and the latter tribe, who are more particular about food than is commonly supposed, will eat boiled rice prepared by Kurmis; and according to one tradition regard them as half-brethern of their own, sprung from the same father, who begot the Kurmison the elder and the Santals on the younger of two sisters." "It is proved by many evidences, that kudmis were always adivasi, so, it is our birth-right to re-inclusion Kudmis into ST & we will take it at all costs." (Prasenjeet Mahato, Mahasachiv, Kudmi Sena, Jharkhand)