President Murmu, PM Modi, leaders pay tributes to tribal icon Birsa Munda

PTI Patna/New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders across political parties on Friday paid tributes to tribal icon Birsa Munda on his 150th birth anniversary, which is celebrated as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas. Birsa Munda, known as 'Dharti Aba' (father of the land), was born in Jharkhand on November 15, 1875. He had led the tribal uprising against the British and died at the age of 25 while in custody. Modi took to social media, describing Munda as a national hero who sacrificed everything to protect the honour of the motherland.

"Bhagwan Birsa Munda ji sacrificed everything to protect the honour and glory of the motherland. My deepest respects to him on the auspicious occasion of his birth anniversary," Modi posted on X. The PM also greeted the people of Jharkhand on the state's foundation day, acknowledging the sacrifices of the tribal community in shaping the state and its development. In another post on X, Modi said, "Many best wishes to all my brothers and sisters of Jharkhand on the foundation day of the state. This land irrigated by the struggles and sacrifices of the tribal community has always made the country proud. I wish that this state, full of natural resources, moves ahead at a fast pace on the path of development." Addressing a rally in Bihar's Jamui, Modi charged previous Congress governments in the country with having tried to undermine the contributions of tribal leaders to the freedom movement "so that only one party and one family got away with the credit".

Modi asserted that he worshipped the 'Adivasi Samaj' and his government took the decision to celebrate Munda's birth anniversary as 'Janjaatiya Gaurav Divas' (the day of glory for tribals) because the community never got its due. "Tribals have played their role in preserving the country's cultural heritage since times immemorial. It was the 'Adivasi Samaj' that helped the evolution of Lord Rama from a prince to a god," the PM said. "Tribals also played a significant role in the struggle for Independence. But the previous governments deliberately tried to suppress this fact so that all credit was given to one party and one family," alleged Modi, who spoke in the presence of BJP allies like Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Union minister Chirag Paswan. President Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla offered floral tributes at the statue of Birsa Munda at the Prerna Sthal in Parliament complex. Murmu emphasised Birsa Munda's pivotal role in India's freedom struggle and urged the nation to draw inspiration from his legacy. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also marked the occasion by unveiling a statue of Birsa Munda in New Delhi and announcing hat the entire year, until November 15, 2025, would be celebrated as Adivasi Gaurav Din.