Indian Tribal News Service
Ranchi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hailed freedom fighter Birsa Munda’s contributions to the society and said in this Amrit Kaal of independence, India has decided that it will give a more meaningful and grander identity to the tribal traditions of India and its valour stories.
“A historic decision has been taken that from today every year the country will celebrate 15th November i.e. the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda as ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas’” said the Prime Minister while greeting the nation on the historic occasion and addressing the gathering as he inaugurated online the Birsa Munda Museum and Memorial Park in Ranchi.
Students in particular should visit Ranchi to learn about the valour tales of tribal freedom fighters at the Birsa Munda Museum and Memorial Park,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said
Talking about the vision of Birsa, revered as ‘Bhagwan’ and ‘Dharti Aaba’ (Father of the Earth), the Prime Minister pointed out the tribal legend knew that tampering with diversity, ancient identity and nature in the name of modernity is not the way for welfare of the society. “At the same time, he was a supporter of modern education and had the courage to speak against the ills and inadequacies of his own society,” Modi said adding Birsa was a “tradition”.
Birsa lived for the society, sacrificed his life for his culture and his country, the PM said. “Therefore, he is still present in our faith, in our spirit as our God. ‘Dharti Aaba’ did not stay on this earth for very long but he wrote an entire history for the country in that short span of life and gave direction to the generations of India,” the Prime Minister maintained.
Utilising the occasion, the Prime Minister also paid tributes to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee saying it was due to the latter’s strong will that the state of Jharkhand came into existence. “It was Atal ji who was the first to form a separate tribal ministry in the government of the country and linked the tribal interests with the policies of the country,” Modi stressed.
The Prime Minister congratulated the tribal society of the country, every citizen of India for Bhagwan Birsa Munda Museum and Memorial Park and said, “This museum will become a living venue of our tribal culture full of diversity, depicting the contribution of tribal heroes and heroines in the freedom struggle.”
He said the freedom struggle aimed at transferring the power of India, the power to make decisions for India in the hands of Indians, but at the same time, Birsa also fought against the thinking that wanted to erase the identity of India’s tribal society.
Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda, Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais and Chief Minister Hemant Soren Ministers were among those present on the occasion.
