Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a powerful address in Gujarat's Narmada district on Saturday, marking the 150th birth anniversary of tribal icon Bhagwan Birsa Munda while launching a sharp critique against previous Congress governments for allegedly neglecting tribal communities and their contributions to India's freedom struggle.
Historical Neglect of Tribal Freedom Fighters
The Prime Minister spoke at the Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas event in Dediapada, where he emphasized that tribal communities had been at the forefront of India's independence movement but were systematically ignored by previous administrations. PM Modi attributed this neglect to what he called "moh" or endearment toward "a few families" who received disproportionate credit for leading the freedom struggle.
"Whenever the question of India's honour, self-respect and independence arose, the tribal community was at the forefront," Modi stated. "Our freedom struggle is the biggest example of this. Men and women icons from the tribal community continued to light the torch of the freedom struggle... several leaders made supreme sacrifices and did not allow the British to rest."
Government Initiatives for Tribal Empowerment
The Prime Minister detailed numerous initiatives undertaken by his government since 2014 to recognize and honor tribal contributions. He highlighted that the NDA government had ensured future generations would learn about tribal freedom fighters who shed their blood for India's independence.
Modi announced the creation of multiple tribal museums across the country, including a sprawling facility on a 25-acre plot in Rajpipla, Gujarat. Other museums mentioned include the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Sanghralaya in Chhattisgarh and the museum at Ranchi prison where Birsa Munda was incarcerated.
The government is also establishing the Shri Govind Guru Chair for Tribal Language Promotion Centre, which will study dialects of various tribal communities including Bhil, Gamit, Vasava, Garasia, Santhal, and several others.
Development Projects and Infrastructure
During the event, PM Modi inaugurated and laid foundation stones for multiple development projects specifically targeting tribal regions. These included Grih Pravesh ceremonies for 100,000 houses built under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan and Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan.
Other significant announcements included:
- 42 Eklavya Model Residential Schools dedicated to tribal students worth approximately ₹1,900 crore
- 228 Multi-Purpose Centres across tribal regions
- Centre of Competence in Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh
- Tribal Research Institute building in Imphal, Manipur
- 250 buses for 14 tribal districts in Gujarat
- Foundation stone for 748 km of new roads in tribal areas
- 14 Tribal Multi-Marketing Centres under DA-JAGUA
Contrasting Approaches to Tribal Development
PM Modi drew sharp contrasts between the BJP's approach to tribal development and that of previous Congress governments. He accused the Congress of allocating "merely a few thousand rupees" for tribal schemes in 2013 after sidelining the Ministry of Tribal Affairs established by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
"When Atal Bihari Vajpayee became the PM for the first time, a separate Ministry was created for tribal developments," Modi recalled. "But in the ten years of Congress rule after Atalji's government, the Ministry had been sidelined and forgotten about."
The Prime Minister emphasized that his government had significantly increased budgetary allocations for tribal development, addressing issues such as malnutrition, healthcare, education, and connectivity that had plagued tribal areas for decades.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi visited the Dev Mogra temple in Sagbara to pay respects to the tribal deity and conducted a 2.5 km roadshow in Dediapada, demonstrating his personal connection with the tribal community and their cultural heritage.
