New Delhi || 15-11-2024 Home Minister Amit Shah today unveiled a grand statue of Bhagwan Birsa Munda at Baansera Park in New Delhi on the occasion of his 150th birth anniversary year.
The event was attended by Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Vinai Kumar Saxena, Minister of State Harsh Malhotra, Member of Parliament Baijayant Panda and several other dignitaries.
Addressing the gathering HM Amit Shah said that in 2021, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had announced that the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda (November 15) would be celebrated as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas (Tribal Pride Day).
He stated that it was on this very day that Bhagwan Birsa Munda was born in a small village in Jharkhand. Minister Shah said that in commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, the coming year, till 15 November 2025, will be celebrated as Adivasi Gaurav Varsh.
He further said that on the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, the Modi government has also decided to change the name of Sarai Kale Khan Chowk to ‘Bhagwan Birsa Munda Chowk’
Home Minister Amit Shah said that Bhagwan Birsa Munda not only became the savior of his original tribal culture, but in his short life of 25 years, he explained to many people of the country through his deeds how to lead one’s life and what should be the aim and goal in our lives.
He said that Bhagwan Birsa Munda has definitely been one of the great heroes of freedom struggle. He said that born in the year 1875, Bhagwan Birsa Munda at a very young age, raised his voice against religious conversion during his secondary education.
Minister Shah said that when the whole of India and two-thirds of the world was ruled by the British, at that time Birsa Munda displayed the courage of standing firmly against religious conversion and later this determination and bravery transformed him into a leader of this country.
He added that from the jail in Ranchi to the Queen of England, national hero Birsa Munda ji had become the voice of the countrymen.
Union Home Minister said that tribals participated enthusiastically in the freedom struggle against the British across the country, but unfortunately these great heroes were forgotten after independence.
He said that in the year 2015, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi decided to build museums of 20 tribal great heroes in the country at a cost of ₹200 crore so that children can become familiar with the lives of these great heroes. He said that three museums have been built so far. PM Modi has inaugurated Bhagwan Birsa Munda Museum in Ranchi, Shankar Shah and Raghunath Shah Museum in Jabalpur and Tribal Freedom Fighter Museum in Chhindwara. All the remaining museums will be ready by the year 2026.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah said that the opposition parties’ government had a budget of only ₹28,000 crore for the development of tribals, while the Modi government has made a provision of ₹1,33,000 crore for the development of tribals in the budget for the year 2024-25.
He said that under the Pradhan Mantri Adarsh ​​Gram Yojana, all the basic facilities have been fully provided in 26,428 tribal villages.
Focusing on Tribal development he further said that under the District Mineral Foundation Scheme, ₹97,000 crore was distributed in tribal areas, 708 Eklavya Model Residential Schools were built, ₹15,000 crore under Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission and ₹24,000 crore under Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan have been given for the complete development of 63,000 villages.
