Daijiworld Media Network – Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad, Nov 15: Marking Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a sharp political offensive against the Congress while reaffirming his government’s commitment to uplifting India’s tribal communities. Addressing a massive gathering in Gujarat, the PM accused the Congress of “abandoning tribal societies for six decades” and ignoring their invaluable sacrifices in the nation’s freedom struggle.

Modi alleged that earlier governments allowed tribal regions to suffer from malnutrition, poor health services, broken connectivity and lack of education, turning these into the “forced identity” of Adivasi belts. “They sat idle while an entire community struggled,” he said, holding Congress leadership directly responsible for the decades-long neglect.

Striking a historical note, the PM asserted that the contributions of tribal freedom fighters were deliberately pushed aside to glorify “a few powerful families.” He emphasised that it was the BJP-led government that revived the legacy of icons like Bhagwan Birsa Munda, ensuring the younger generation learns of their sacrifices.

Modi recalled that only under Atal Bihari Vajpayee was India given a dedicated Ministry of Tribal Affairs — a foundational correction that Congress “never even attempted.” He criticised the UPA-era approach, alleging that the ministry was later reduced to a token department with minimal funding.

Highlighting the BJP’s governance record, he said that since 2014, the Centre has significantly increased expenditure on tribal welfare, expanded health infrastructure in tribal districts, and strengthened the fight against sickle cell anaemia. Speaking of empowerment, he pointed to the massive rise in sports support and proudly noted that India’s World Cup-winning women’s team had “one proud tribal daughter” representing the community on the global stage.

PM Modi further showcased the rise of tribal leadership in modern India — from President Droupadi Murmu, to acclaimed tribal painter Paresh Rathwa, to Chief Ministers Mohan Charan Majhi (Odisha), Neiphiu Rio (Nagaland) and Pema Khandu (Arunachal Pradesh). Their leadership, he said, symbolises a new era where Adivasi communities are not merely beneficiaries but active architects of India’s progress.

Earlier in the day, the PM inaugurated development projects worth over Rs 9,700 crore in Gujarat’s Narmada district, giving momentum to the state’s infrastructure push. He also reviewed the construction of the Surat bullet train station, a crucial component of the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor, before participating in events marking the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda.

Framing the day’s message as both political and developmental, Modi declared that the BJP has restored honour, pride and a rightful place for tribal communities in national consciousness — a recognition, he said, denied to them for generations.