Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually addressed the National Tribal Pride Day event in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur on Saturday.
In his address, he said, "Azaadi ke aandolan mein aadivaasi jananaayakon ka bahut bada yogdaan. Janajaatiya gaurav hamare Bharat ki chetna ka vishay raha hai. Jab-jab Bharat ke liye ladne ki baat aayi, hamara aadivaasi samaaj sabse aage khada raha. Aadivaasi bhaiyon ne Angrezon se ladaai karke apna khoon bahaaya hai. Swatantrata sangram ke kai adhyaay janajaati gaurav se bhare hain. Swatantrata sangram mein aadivaasi gaurav ko hum bhula nahi sakte....
(The tribal freedom fighters made a huge contribution to India’s independence movement. Tribal pride has always been an important part of India’s identity. Whenever it came to fighting for the country, our tribal community stood at the front. Tribal brothers fought bravely against the British and shed their blood. Many chapters of the freedom struggle are filled with the pride of tribal heroes. We cannot forget the role and pride of the tribal community in India’s freedom struggle.)
‘Congress ignored tribals’
The Prime Minister accused previous Congress governments of ignoring the love, sacrifice and contributions of tribal communities. He said that before 2014, hardly any discussion took place about tribal icons.
Modi highlighted that his government has built Tribal Museums and is developing the jail where Birsa Munda was once held into a grand museum.
He said that tribal communities possess ancient knowledge and scientific traditions. Modi added that Congress, which ruled the country for 6 decades, left tribal regions underdeveloped and neglected.
‘Government committed to tribal development’
The Prime Minister said his government is committed to tribal development and linked tribal history with the legacy of Lord Ram.
He pointed out that the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government had created a separate ministry for tribal welfare.
Modi said that while Congress allocated only a small amount for tribal development in 2013, his government increased the budget many times. He recalled working for tribal upliftment during his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister as well.
He said that over ₹18k crore has been spent on Eklavya Model Schools and science colleges in tribal areas, leading to a 60% rise in student admissions.
PM praised Kranti Gaud
Modi also praised the talent and traditional skills of tribal communities and mentioned that a tribal daughter, Kranti Gaud, played a key role in India’s Women’s Cricket World Cup team.
He added that crores of tribal families now have access to free treatment up to ₹5 lakh under government schemes. The Prime Minister said he took a pledge for tribal development by applying soil from Birsa Munda's village on his forehead.
Modi highlighted efforts to bring drinking water to thousands of tribal villages and said the government is promoting millets and running a national campaign against sickle cell disease.
He concluded that today, tribal communities are progressing and contributing significantly to the nation’s development.
