President Droupadi Murmu arrived in the Jharkhand capital on Tuesday morning and straightaway went to the birthplace of Birsa Munda where she paid floral tributes at a bust of the tribal icon on his birth anniversary, which is celebrated as ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Divas’.
Upon landing at the Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi around 9am, the President was welcomed by Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais and Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
From there, she flew on an Indian Air Force chopper to Birsa Munda’s village Ulihatu, where she was joined by Union ministers Arjun Munda and Annapurna Devi.
The former Jharkhand governor, who arrived in the state for the first time after becoming the President, was accorded a warm welcome by villagers at Ulihatu, around 70km from state capital Ranchi.
At Ulihatu, she paid floral tributes at a bust marking the birthplace of the tribal icon.
Even though common people were not allowed at the main venue due to security reasons, Birsa Munda followers, decked up in traditional attires, flocked on both sides of the road to have a glimpse of the President.
Birsa Munda, who is revered as Bhagwan by tribal communities across the country, was an iconic freedom fighter, social reformer and revered tribal leader of the country who fought bravely against the exploitative system of the British colonial government and became a legendary figure in his lifetime.
He organized and led the tribal movement, giving a call for “Ulgulan” (Revolt) to the tribals. He encouraged tribals to understand their cultural roots and observe unity.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tributes to the iconic tribal leader, on his birth anniversary and said the tribal community has been the inspiration behind various schemes of his government.
In a recorded video address, Modi cited a number of welfare programmes of the central government and said crores of tribal families have benefitted from them and their lives have become easier.
He noted that museums dedicated to tribal freedom fighters are being built across the country to recognise their contributions.
His government, Modi noted, had announced Munda’s birth anniversary as ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Divas’.
India has to give shape to its future by learning from the grand tribal legacy and the Janjatiya Gaurav Divas will become an opportunity and medium for this, he said.
Expressing pride in the tribal heritage and the resolve for the development of the community is part of the energy of ‘Panch Praan’, five pledges for the country outlined by him in his recent Independence Day speech, he said.
The country is marching on to fulfil the dreams of Munda and many other tribal heroes, the prime minister said.
Munda is not only an icon of the freedom struggle but also denotes the country’s spiritual and cultural energy, he said.
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.
