PM Modi accuses previous governments of ignoring tribal suffering amid Maoist violence

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused previous governments of abandoning tribal communities affected by Maoist violence, alleging that their rights were taken away while those in power remained silent spectators.

Virtually addressing the Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas programme in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli, Modi highlighted the Centre's efforts to eliminate Maoism and said tribal women were now blessing the government for ending the violence that had affected their communities for decades.

He said the occasion coincided with two significant achievements for the country: nearly 50 crore people moving out of extreme poverty and the end of Naxalism and freedom from Maoist terrorism.

"Both these achievements are deeply connected to the lives of our tribal brothers and sisters," he said.

Referring to the situation in 2014, Modi said nearly 125 districts across the country were affected by Maoism, with hundreds of violent incidents reported every year. Thousands of innocent people, many of them from tribal communities, lost their lives, he added.

"The people of the tribal areas, including Gadchiroli, know that Maoist violence has harmed the tribal community the most. However, people affected by Naxalism-Maoism were abandoned by the then governments, their rights were snatched away, and everybody remained silent," the Prime Minister said.

He further alleged that tribal people were not even allowed to exercise their right to vote, while successive governments remained "mute spectators".

Highlighting the change in the situation, Modi said Maoist violence had deprived families of their children and daughters, leaving communities helpless.

"Children were taken away from their mothers by these Naxals; our daughters were taken away, and no one was able to do anything. However, today, when Naxalism-Maoism has been eliminated, mothers and sisters in the tribal community are giving us their blessings," he said.

The Prime Minister also underlined the growing role of tribal communities in India's development, pointing out that the country is being led by a woman from the community.

"The country is also being led by a daughter of the tribal community. We are all proud of President Droupadi Murmu," he said.

PM Modi Highlights Poverty Reduction And Tribal Welfare

Modi also referred to a recent World Bank report which stated that nearly 50 crore people in India had moved 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 said, crediting various government schemes for playing an important role in the transformation.

Congratulating those who had come out of extreme poverty, the Prime Minister said the achievement reflected a major change in the country's development journey.

He added that the government had given special attention to regions that had remained underdeveloped for a long time.

A focused development campaign covering more than 100 Aspirational Districts and over 500 Aspirational Blocks was launched to improve access to basic facilities and protect citizens' rights, he said. Many of these regions have sizeable tribal populations.

Modi also highlighted the impact of the PM-JANMAN scheme, saying it was bringing changes to the lives of tribal communities.

Concluding his address, the Prime Minister urged people to draw inspiration from Bhagwan Birsa Munda and work towards the goal of a developed India.

"This is the time to draw inspiration from Bhagwan Birsa Munda and dedicate all our energy to realising the dream of a Viksit Bharat. With this appeal, I pay my respects to Bhagwan Birsa Munda and once again extend my best wishes to all of you on Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas," he said.

(With IANS inputs)