On Birsa Munda’s anniversary, parties contest tribal contribution

With elections to several state Assemblies due in the next 12 months, where tribals constitute significant voting blocks, the BJP, Congress and regional parties on Tuesday contested each others’ contribution to the cause of empowering the tribals.

The occasion was the birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda, a day that last year the Narendra Modi government decided to celebrate as ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Divas’.

Forty-seven seats are reserved for tribals in the Lok Sabha. Tribals have significant numbers in Gujarat, Tripura, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, states that will go to polls by December 2023.

In a recorded message, the PM said the tribal community had inspired several of his government’s welfare schemes, making their lives easier. He named Tilka Manjhi, Sidhu and Kanhu, and Tana Bhagat, among other leading tribal revolutionaries besides Munda and paid tributes to their struggle against foreign rulers.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted that the causes for which Birsa Munda, “an adivasi (not a vanavasi as the RSS calls tribals)” laid down his life, particularly tribal land rights, are still most relevant today. Ramesh said the Modi government had eroded tribal rights.

However, the Congress-led Chhattisgarh government has also been criticised for reneging upon its promises to the state’s tribals.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said the BJP keeps attacking the Constitution every day as it does not want to accept that Dalits, tribals and the poor should get rights. Addressing a public meeting in Maharashtra’s Washim district, Gandhi said tribals are the “original owners of the country” and their rights come first before anyone. The rally was attended by tribal community members. Gandhi alleged that the ideals of Birsa Munda were being attacked from four sides by the RSS and the BJP.

Mamata hails tribal hero

Birsa Munda’s anniversary was observed in West Bengal with the ruling TMC and the Opposition BJP raising allegations against each other, primarily aimed at tribal voters.

The state has rural polls scheduled next year and has a substantial tribal concentration in several districts.

Addressing a gathering in Jhargram, Trinamool supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, “Our rights are being taken away, and we will not be okay with that. Birsa Munda wouldn’t have been okay with it either.”