Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid tributes to Birsa Munda, an 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 Diwas 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.