Gadchiroli : Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday lauded tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda's historic resistance against colonial oppression and his successful struggle to protect tribal rights over land, forests, and water on the occasion of his birth anniversary.
Addressing the gathering at the Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas programme, CM Fadnavis credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with establishing the contributions of forgotten tribal icons from historical obscurity.
"I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Prime Minister. It was he who initiated 'Janjatiya Diwas' (Tribal Pride Day) in 2021, declaring that honouring tribal heroes is synonymous with honouring India itself. He also announced that the birth anniversary of 'Dharti Aba' Bhagwan Birsa Munda would be celebrated across the entire nation as 'Gaurav Diwas', he said.
Fadnavis highlighted that the tribal communities, who acted as frontline warriors whenever the country faced an invasion, remained unsung heroes and were largely forgotten over time.
He added that it is the efforts of PM Modi that the tribal heroes regained much-deserved recognition in the public eye.
"As you all know, our tribal community possesses a truly illustrious history and a rich, vibrant culture. Whenever the nation faced an invasion, tribal heroes were at the forefront of the resistance, yet, over time, they were largely forgotten. However, upon becoming Prime Minister, Narendra Modi recognised their immense contributions and resolved to bring them back into the public consciousness. Today, history is once again remembering these tribal heroes," he said.
Recalling the legacy of Birsa Munda, the Chief Minister detailed how the young leader mobilised his community against colonial exploitation during the British Raj.
"During the colonial era, when the British, in collusion with moneylenders, attempted to completely dispossess the tribal community of their land, forests, and water resources, a young Birsa Munda, only 15 or 16 years old, organised a movement to resist them. Through this struggle, he succeeded in reclaiming the tribal people's rights over their land, forests, and water," he said.
Further underscoring the profound impact of Birsa Munda's defiance, Fadnavis said that the colonial army believed that there were multiple Birsa Mundas who would appear at any time and place and defeat them.
"In fact, the British were so confounded that they believed Birsa Munda was not just a single individual, but rather a group of people who would appear from nowhere, defeat them, and then vanish," he said.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde described Birsa Munda as the foundational strength and pride of indigenous communities across the country.
"Birsa Munda is the pride of the Adivasi community. He is the guiding light of water, forests, and land. Birsa Munda is the spark of freedom for the Adivasi people. He is the torch against injustice, exploitation, and oppression. He is the self-confidence of the poor and vulnerable. He is the courage and bravery to fight to the very end," he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister recalled how the young leader worked to eradicate social evils and instil self-reliance among his people.
Upon Munda's request not to call him 'God', the tribal community gave him the title of Dharti Aaba.
"He spread the message of staying away from blind faith, addiction, and bad social practices. Birsa Munda always used to say, 'Don't call me God, I am not God'. Because of that, our tribal brothers and sisters gave him the title of Dharti Aba, and so I bow down to him with deep respect," Shinde said.
Popularly revered as ‘Dharti Aaba’, Birsa Munda became a symbol of tribal resistance and pride. Despite his young age, he led a powerful movement against British oppression and gave the slogan ‘Abua Dishum, Abua Raj’, meaning ‘Our land, our rule’.