Birsa Munda’s name probably rings a bell in our ears, but there would hardly be any tribal district where the tribals did not fight or make sacrifices from 1857 till independence. What is freedom, what is the war against slavery, he had told through his sacrifice, but our future generations are not that familiar with this history. In the coming days, the government will work on building permanent museums in those states remembering the entire history of these freedom fighters, who were tribals, lived in the forests, fought against the British, and were not ready to bow down.
-Excerpt of speech given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Red Fort on August 15, 2016
This was the first time in the history of India when a Prime Minister of the country (Narendra Modi) had mentioned the contribution of Lord Birsa Munda and the tribals in the freedom struggle in a speech given from the Red Fort. On the same day, the Prime Minister had announced to build museums in many states of the country in memory of tribal martyrs. This also included Birsa Munda Central Jail located in Ranchi, where Lord Birsa Munda breathed his last. Within five years of the announcement, i.e. in 2021, the Prime Minister had inaugurated the same museum.
Tomorrow the Prime Minister will visit the museum located in the same jail complex of Ranchi. This will be a historic moment. Narendra Modi will be the first Prime Minister of the country to visit Ulihatu, the birthplace of Birsa Munda. It is also PM Modi’s decision to celebrate Birsa Munda’s birthday (15 November) as Tribal Pride Day every year in the entire country. All these things prove the importance of Birsa Munda and the tribal community in the life of Narendra Modi.
It had started in 2016 itself when, on the instructions of the Prime Minister, the then Home Minister Rajnath Singh went to the house in Ulihatu, where Birsa Munda was born. This was part of the campaign to remember the freedom fighters and unsung heroes who played an important role in the country’s independence. Later Amit Shah (then the national president of BJP) also went to Ulihatu.
Expectations from the Prime Minister have also increased due to his visit to Ulihatu. Many mysteries related to Birsa Munda are yet to be revealed. On the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, many secret documents related to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose were made public. There are documents related to Birsa Munda lying in many countries of the world which can be brought to India and many mysteries can be revealed. From the death of Birsa Munda to the number of martyrs in the firing in Dumbari, the mystery of the names of the unknown tribal martyrs still remains a mystery.
It is not yet clear whether Birsa Munda died due to diarrhea or poisoning in jail. There are no documents related to Birsa Munda even in the central jail of Ranchi and Hazaribagh (where Birsa Munda was kept). All have been destroyed. Some documents are safe in Kolkata and abroad, especially in Britain. These include the letters which the then Indian Government wrote to the British Government after the arrest of Birsa Munda and the struggle of Dumbari. There is many important information in this.
Expectations from the Prime Minister
1. Birsa Munda died in Ranchi jail on June 9, 1900. The British said that the cause of death of Birsa Munda was diarrhea, while there was also talk of death due to poison. Its real reason may be mentioned in confidential British documents.
2. Indiscriminate firing was done on the supporters of Birsa Munda in Dumbari (Sail Rakab) on January 9, 1900. There have been reports of killing of between seven and 400 Birsa supporters. Many documents have different numbers. There are different figures in the letters written by Deputy Commissioner Streatfeild and Captain Rosse himself.
3. Birsa supporters were martyred in Birsa Munda’s movement from Dumbari to Ranchi Jail and Andaman Jail. The names of only a few of these come to the fore. The remaining tribal martyrs remained nameless. Such unsung heroes should be respected.
4. Many documents related to the arrest of Birsa Munda and the movement are in the British Library, Germany. A document written by Dr. Karl Heinrich is present in the Gossner Mission Store in Berlin. A letter written by JP Hewett to Sir Arthur Godley in 1900 is in the British Library. Some documents are also in the National Archives of Kolkata and Bihar Archives of Patna.
5. Starting from Ulihatu, the birthplace of Birsa Munda, Dumbari (where the historical conflict took place), the jail at Ranchi (where he died), the Samadhi site at Ranchi (where his body was burnt), Birsa is from the tourism point of view. A circuit should be made.
6. Just as a huge statue of Sardar Patel has been installed in Gujarat on the initiative of the Prime Minister, similarly a huge statue of Birsa Munda should be installed on the side of the National Highway or in Ulihatu before entering Ranchi. Anonymous martyrs should also be mentioned in this.