PM Modi, President Murmu pay tribute to tribal icon Birsa Munda on Jharkhand State Foundation Day

New Delhi: On the occasion of Jharkhand’s State Foundation Day and the 151st birth anniversary of tribal leader Birsa Munda, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid floral tributes to tribal icon 'Dharti Aaba' Birsa Munda at the Parliament complex in New Delhi.

Joining the Prime Minister were President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

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The event featured traditional tribal dance performances, highlighting the region's deep-rooted tribal and folk culture.

Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar on November 15, 2000, which coincides with the birth anniversary of tribal icon Birsa Munda. Birsa Munda, who belonged to the Munda tribe, was born on November 15 in 1875. During British rule in the late 19th century, he spearheaded an Indian tribal religious Millenarian movement across the tribal belt of modern-day Bihar and Jharkhand.

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In an X post earlier, PM Modi marked Janjatiya Gaurav Divas on the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, paying deep reverence to the tribal icon, emphasising his enduring legacy of courage and sacrifice.

"On the birth anniversary of Lord Birsa Munda, I bow to him with deepest reverence on behalf of all the people of our country. My heartfelt best wishes to you all for Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, celebrated on this auspicious occasion. The indomitable courage, struggle and sacrifice of Dharti Aaba will continue to inspire every generation of our country to uphold self-respect, freedom and rights. Drawing inspiration from him, our government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure dignity, opportunity and prosperity for our tribal brothers and sisters. Let us all come together to pay tribute to the invaluable contribution of tribal communities to nation-building," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also virtually attend the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, which is observed as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas (Tribal Pride Day) today.

Paying tribute to the tribal icon, President Murmu also extended greetings to the people on Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, hailing the occasion as a day to remember the contributions of tribal leaders to the country.

"On the sacred occasion of the birth anniversary of Dharti Aba, Lord Birsa Munda, I extend my heartfelt greetings to all fellow citizens on ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Divas’. This day is an opportunity to remember our rich tribal heritage and the historic contributions of tribal communities to the nation. I hope that all fellow citizens will preserve our invaluable heritage while moving forward on the path of inclusive development," the X post read.

Extending warm greetings to the people of the state, the Jharkhand CMO also shared a message on X stating, "On the occasion of the 151st birth anniversary of Lord Birsa Munda and Jharkhand State Foundation Day, I pay my deepest respects to 'Dharti Aba'. Heartfelt wishes to all the people of the state on Jharkhand State Foundation Day…"

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’.