Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas: An account of PM Modi’s close experiences with tribal communities

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid tributes to Bhagwan Birsa Munda on his birth anniversary, commemorated as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas.

Since 2021, Janjatiya Gaurav Divas is celebrated on November 15 with great zeal across the country to honour the sacrifices of tribal freedom fighters.

Meanwhile, Modi Archive, a popular social media handle on X, shared a collection of instances on Prime Minister’s close and personal interaction with tribal communities and elaborated on how these experiences helped him understand the struggles of tribal communities first hand, thereby inspiring him to work tirelessly for their inclusive growth.

“Narendra Modi’s early years were marked by extensive travels on foot, bicycle, and motorcycle through remote tribal areas,” says the handle while enumerating multiple incidents of his close experiences with the tribal communities across the country.

A child’s hunger during a visit to a village

In the early days, PM Modi visited the hut of a Swayamsewak, who lived with his wife and young son. Swayamsewak’s wife offered PM Modi half a bajra roti with a bowl of milk in a gesture of hospitality. PM Modi noticed the child’s gaze was fixed intently on the milk and quickly understood the child’s craving. He just ate roti with water and handed the milk to the child, who gulped it down in one go. That poignant image of poverty and hunger left PM Modi deeply moved.

Twelve days, fifty books young

In the early 1980s, as the foundation of the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram was being laid in Ahmedabad a fundraiser was planned to support tribal welfare. PM Modi gave such an impressive speech that a couple of businessmen offered blank cheques for the tribal welfare.

PM Modi had delivered a powerful 90-minute speech on the importance of tribal development. His words and description of the plight of tribal communities were so moving that many businessmen offered blank cheques as donations.

“In just 12 days, Modi immersed himself in over 50 books on tribal challenges, equipping himself to articulate these issues well!” informs the X handle.

'Maruti Ki Pran Pratishtha'

In 1983, a journey to southern Gujarat brought PM Modi face-to-face with the plight of the tribals in Dharampur. Their struggles inspired him to pen a heartfelt poem, 'Maruti Ki Pran Pratishtha'.

PM Modi, then an RSS Swayamsevak, was invited to participate in the 'pran pratishta' of a Hanuman temple in southern Gujarat. The drive was long, and no soul was in sight for kilometres at a stretch. On his way to the village, he noticed the tribals of Dharampur who were surviving under a lack of resources. Their bodies had turned black.

PM Modi was deeply affected to witness such a scene, for the first time in his life. On his way home, he wrote a poem titled 'Maruti ki Pran Pratishtha' about the state of the tribals and their struggles.

Why is Bharat not progressing?

In a powerful speech from 1985, PM Modi questioned why India, rich in resources, was still grappling with poverty and underdevelopment despite 38 years of Independence. Highlighting the challenges of tribal communities, he called for introspection and action.