The tribal icon’s celebrations should not be linked to the BJP, a senior Sangh leader said. “We have always celebrated Rani Durgawati’s birth anniversary. This year the celebrations are bigger since it is the 500th anniversary. She is a source of inspiration for all and not just tribals.” (Wikimedia)

By  Deeptiman Tiwary 

THE RSS has announced year-long celebrations of the 500th birth anniversary of Rani Durgawati, a Rajput married into the Gonds, as a tribal icon “who fought Muslim invaders”, starting October 5.

The celebrations would be organised by the Sangh’s tribal welfare wing, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, across the country and will feature cultural performances and sports competitions, apart from publication of articles on Durgawati.

The celebrations, which will be followed by grand observance of ‘Janjaatiya Gaurav Diwas (Tribal Drive Day)’ on November 15 by the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, are coming ahead of the Jharkhand Assembly elections where the tribal vote is crucial to a win.

Earlier, the BJP declared 2025 as the Janjaatiya Gaurav Varsh to mark the 150th birth anniversary of tribal leader and Jharkhand icon Birsa Munda, and announced the PM-JANMAN (Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan) scheme for the welfare of tribal communities from Khunti in the state in November last year. On Wednesday, the Union Cabinet approved another scheme, the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan, with a budget of Rs 79,156 crore, “to improve the socio-economic conditions of tribal communities across the country”. The programme, which aims to provide government benefits to five crore tribal families in 63,000 tribal-majority villages, is based on “the learnings and successes of PM-JANMAN”, the government statement said.

This story was originally published in indianexpress.com. Read the full story here.