Earlier foreign perspective decided festivals; today India celebrates with indigenous pride, says PM Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said there was a time when the planning of several festivals and events was decided based on a "foreign perspective"; however, now the country is celebrating its culture with "indigenous pride", calling the shift a symbol of "national consciousness".

Virtually addressing the Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas programme, being organised in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli, PM Modi called it a "national celebration", honouring the pride of tribal communities and drawing inspiration from tribal freedom fighter Bhagwan Birsa Munda.

"With this spirit, events are being organised across the country today. The nation is remembering its tribal heroes and heroines with pride," he said.

"A major event is being organised in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. As far as I can see, the venue is filled with people. Gadchiroli has a rich tribal culture, and the heroic stories of Raghōji Bhangre, Bhagoji Naik and Veer Baburao Shedmake are associated with this land. On this occasion, I pay my heartfelt tributes to all tribal heroes," the Prime Minister said.

PM Modi said that since November 2021, Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas has been celebrated across the country, making it a "national celebration". Last year, he mentioned that over two lakh programmes were organised across the nation, and crores of citizens participated in them during the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda.

"There was a time when several festivals and occasions were decided from a foreign perspective. But today, India is remembering its heritage, history, and heroes with indigenous pride. This is a symbol of a major shift in our national consciousness," he said.

The Prime Minister mentioned that on the occasion of Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas, over 170 projects related to tribal development have been inaugurated, and the foundation stones for more than 70 projects have been laid across various states.

"In Mizoram, a museum dedicated to the great freedom fighter Ropuilliani has been inaugurated. In Arunachal Pradesh, a new building for the Tribal Research Institute has also been inaugurated. Other projects being inaugurated or launched include educational institutions, healthcare facilities, marketing centres for tribal products and several initiatives to expand basic infrastructure in villages," he said.

"Projects worth around Rs 30,000 crore have been inaugurated or had their foundation stones laid across various states. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all of you and to the people of the country on these projects," he added.

PM Modi mentioned that the event coincided with two major achievements of the country -- "The first is that nearly 50 crore people in the country have overcome extreme poverty and come out of poverty. The second is the end of Naxalism and freedom from Maoist terrorism."

"Both these achievements are deeply connected to the lives of our tribal brothers and sisters. Just a few weeks ago, a World Bank report stated that nearly 50 crore people in India have come out of extreme poverty over the past 12-13 years. This is a huge number. I consider this one of the country's greatest achievements since Independence," he stated.

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