Banswara: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday declared Mangarh Dham as a National Monument in the Banswara district of Rajasthan and said that India’s past, present and future are not complete without the tribal community.
Addressing the ‘Mangarh Dham Ki Gaurav Gatha’, the Prime Minister said, the Mangarh Dham is a symbol of the tenacity and sacrifice of tribals.
“It is inspiring and pleasant for all of us to come to Mangarh Dham in the ‘Aazadi Amrit Mahotsav’. Mangarh Dham is a reflection of the tenacity, sacrifice, penance and patriotism of the tribal heroes. This is the common heritage of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.”
PM Modi said that great freedom fighters like Govind Guru were the representatives of the traditions and ideals of India. “He was not the king of any princely state but he was the hero of lakhs of tribals. In his life he lost his family but never lost his courage,” he added.
The Prime Minister said that in every step of our freedom struggle, pages of history are filled with tribal valour.
The PM further said that the massacre that took place in Mangarh on November 17, 1913, was the culmination of the brutality of British rule.
“The British government had surrounded more than 1500 people on this hill of Mangarh, thinking of enslavement of the world. Unfortunately, the struggle and sacrifice of the tribal community didn’t get their rightful place in history written after independence. Today, the country is rectifying that decades-old mistake. India’s past, present and future are not complete without the tribal community,” said PM Modi.
The Prime Minister also paid tribute to Bhil freedom fighter Shri Govind Guru in the Banswara district of Rajasthan.
According to Prime Minister’s Office, Mangarh Hill holds special importance for the Bhil community and other tribes of Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh.
During the freedom struggle where Bhils and other tribes engaged in a long stand-off with the British, when more than 1.5 lakh Bhils rallied at Mangarh Hill on 17th November 1913 under the leadership of Shri Govind Guru. Britishers opened fire at this gathering, leading to Mangarh Massacre where approximately 1500 tribals were martyred.
Post his Mangarh Dham visit, PM Modi will dedicate and lay the foundation stone of various development projects at Jambughoda in the Panchmahal district of Gujarat.
As part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the government has initiated several steps to celebrate unsung tribal heroes of the freedom struggle. These include declaring 15th November (birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda) as ‘Janjatiya Guarav Divas’, setting up tribal museums across the country etc to recognise the contribution of tribal people to society and increase awareness about their sacrifices in the freedom struggle.
Later, in the day, PM Modi is also scheduled to visit Morbi in Gujarat after the cable suspension bridge claimed the lives of 135 people. (ANI)
