In a time of climate change, the sacrificial tribal lifestyle and drive for forest conservation offers a timely lesson to all, President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, Novembe 15, 2022, greeted citizens on the Janjatiya Gaurav Divas and said the tribal communities have enriched the life of the nation with their arts, crafts and hardwork.
President Droupadi Murmu said on Tuesday, joining in the celebration of the second Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, which marks the birth anniversary of tribal icon and freedom fighter Birsa Munda.
Ms. Murmu visited Birsa Munda’s birthplace in Uluhati village in Jharkhand and garlanded his statue there. She interacted with locals who are followers of “Bhagwan Birsa Munda” and felicitated his living descendants in the village before heading to Madhya Pradesh’s Shahdol area to take part on the celebrations.
“Everyone needs to learn from the lifestyle of tribal society and their determination towards forest conservation,” the President said, in her address at Shahdol. She added that tribal communities have lived to respectfully protect nature. “Conservation of forest wealth was, to a large extent, possible due to their sacrifices,” she said.
The spirit of sacrificing everything in the interest of justice has been the speciality of tribal society, said Ms. Murmu, recalling the history of tribal freedom fighters in India who fought back against the British colonialists.
The President also said she was happy to note that the Central and State governments have taken several steps for the development of tribal communities in the last few years. “Efforts are being made to maintain the identity of tribal communities, increase the sense of self-pride among them and at the same time benefit from the fruits of development,” she said.
Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda also accompanied the President to Uluhati and paid his respects to Birsa Munda before accompanying her to Shahdol to take part in the event there.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a video message, also wished the country on Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, saying that Birsa Munda was “not just the hero of our freedom struggle but was a carrier of our spiritual and cultural energy”. He also recalled the contributions of several other tribal leaders from across the country in India’s fight for freedom from the British.
Mr. Modi said that the country is moving with “the energy of Panch Pran [five resolves] to realise the dreams of Bhagwan Birsa Munda and crores of Janjatiya bravehearts”, listing the measures taken by his government to help tribal communities such as the Van Dhan scheme, self-help groups, Eklavya schools, minimum support prices for up to 90% of forest products, and tribal research institutes.
Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankar marked the occasion in Delhi by paying tribute to a statue of Birsa Munda in the Parliament Complex as several States across the country also held events to celebrate the day.
Congress on tribal rights
Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress party took the opportunity to criticise the Union government over several of its measures related to the rights of tribal communities.
Its General Secretary in-charge of Communications, Jairam Ramesh, tweeted that the Narendra Modi government had “ensured” that tribal rights to land don’t have to be settled before forest land is diverted for non-forestry purposes; tribal gram sabhas don’t have income from control over trade in bamboo; and land acquisition in tribal areas is eased to benefit private companies.
He added, “Community forest rights that benefits tribals are not granted in the manner and scale they ought to have under the Forest Rights Act, 2006.”
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