Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared Mangarh Dham as a National Monument in the Banswara district of Rajasthan on Tuesday. He laid emphasis on the role of tribals in the making of today’s India. He stated that India’s past, present and future are incomplete without community of tribals.
Prime Minister addressed the ‘Mangarh Dham Ki Gaurav Gatha’. He stated that the Mangarh Dham is a symbol of the persistance and sacrifice of tribals. He said, “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, “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 further said that thetraditions and ideals of India were represented by great freedom fighters like Govind Guru.
PM Modi praised the participation of tribal leaders in the freedom struggle. He said, that in every step of our freedom struggle, pages of history are filled with tribal fearlessness.
The PM added that the savagery of British administration reached its apex with the carnage that occurred in Mangarh on November 17, 1913.
“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.
PM Modi also paid tribute to Bhil fredom fighter Shri Govind Guru in Rajasthan’s Binswara District.
Mangarh Hill is of great importance for the Bhil community and other tribes of Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh.
On 17th November 1913, more than 1.5 lakhs Bhils gathered together and rallied at Mangarh Hill uder the leadership of Shri Govind Guru. This was a long stand-off against the British by the Bhils and other tribes during the freedom struggle. In the revolt, the Britishers opened fire at the group of Bhils and other tribes which led to the Mangarh massacre resulting in the killing of 1500 tribals.
After his visit to Mangarh Dham, PM Modi is all set to lay the foundation stone of a number of project at Jambughoda in Gujarat’s Panchmahal district.
An unique and important step to celebrate the unsung tribal heroes of the freedom struggle has been initiated by the government as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. These include designating November 15 as “Janjatiya Guarav Divas” (the anniversary of the birth of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda), establishing tribal museums all over the nation, and other measures to acknowledge the contributions of tribal people to society and raise awareness of their sacrifices during the freedom struggle.