Modi hails tribal icon at launch of mega schemes

Previous governments undermined the contribution of tribal leaders to India's freedom movement so that only one party and family got the credit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday as he unveiled development projects for tribespeople worth ₹6,640 crore in Bihar's Jamui district.

Modi was speaking at an event organised on the 150th birth anniversary of freedom fighter Birsa Munda, celebrated as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas. Jamui district borders Jharkhand, where the second phase of assembly polls will be held on November 20, and where tribespeople form a key vote bloc.

Modi said he worshipped the "Adivasi Samaj" and his government took the decision to celebrate Munda's birth anniversary because the communities were ignored by previous Congress administrations.

"Tribespeople 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.

"Tribal people 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," said Modi, who spoke in the presence of BJP allies including Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and Union minister Chirag Paswan.

He said that he was committed to ensuring better education, health and job opportunities ("padhai, kamai aur dawaai") for tribespeople. "To this end, the budget for tribal welfare has been raised to 1.25 lakh crore by my government. Earlier, it was a meagre ₹25,000 crore," he said.

Janjatiya Gaurav Divas was first celebrated by the Union government in 2021. This year, it comes in the middle of assembly elections campaigns in Jharkhand and Maharashtra. The first phase of polling for 43 seats in Jharkhand was on November 13, and second phase for the remaining 38 seats will be held on November 20 along with Maharashtra's 288 seats.