Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan honored tribal freedom fighter Bhagwan Birsa Munda on his birth anniversary, praising his courageous struggle against British colonial rule and his dedication to protecting tribal and farmer rights.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan Pays Tribute to Tribal Hero Bhagwan Birsa Munda
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], November 15 (ANI): Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday paid tribute to tribal freedom fighter Bhagwan Birsa Munda on his birth anniversary, recalling his struggle against British rule and his fight for the rights of farmers and tribal communities. Speaking to ANI, Chouhan said that Birsa Munda stood against British oppression, exploitation and injustice and fought for the rights of tribal people, farmers and their land.
"Today is the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda. We pay our respects to him... When British terror, exploitation and injustice were at their peak, Bhagwan Birsa Munda emerged from the forests and called for a struggle against it, fighting to end British terror... He fought for farmers, for tribal people, for water, land and forests... We bow to him," Chouhan said.
Birsa Munda was born on November 15, 1875, into the Munda tribe. During British rule in the late 19th century, he spearheaded a tribal religious Millenarian movement across the tribal belt of present-day Bihar and Jharkhand. November 15 also marks the foundation day of Jharkhand, which was carved out of Bihar on this date in 2000, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda. The day is observed to honour the contribution and legacy of the tribal leader, who led a struggle against British rule and fought for the rights of tribal communities.
On this occassion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi 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. The event featured traditional tribal dance performances, highlighting the region's deep-rooted tribal and folk culture. 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’. (ANI)
