Chhattisgarh: BJP-Congress clash over ‘Adivasi’ vs ‘Janjatiya’ terms on Birsa Munda jayanti

Raipur | Correspondent: A political standoff has erupted in Chhattisgarh between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress party over whether the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda (November 15) should be observed as 'Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas' (Tribal Pride Day) or 'Adivasi Gaurav Diwas' (Indigenous/Tribal Pride Day). What began as a dispute over nomenclature has now evolved into a broader ideological conflict concerning indigenous identity and constitutional terminology.

State Congress President Deepak Baij has raised strong objections to the terminology being used by the BJP government. He emphasized that Birsa Munda is a symbol of 'Adivasi' (indigenous/tribal) pride, and his birth anniversary should be observed specifically as 'Adivasi Gaurav Diwas'.

Deepak Baij accused the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of conspiring to erase the distinct identity of indigenous communities by labeling them as 'Janjati' (tribe) and 'Vanvasi' (forest-dweller).

He recalled that the ruling party had previously opposed 'World Tribal Day' (Vishva Adivasi Diwas) and had also changed the name of the 'Department of Welfare for Primitive Tribes' (Adim Jati Kalyan Vibhag). Baij asserted that merely changing names would not lead to any improvements in the community's education, health, employment, or economic status. He demanded an account from the government regarding what tangible benefits tribal families have actually received from these exercises in renaming.

Hitting back at these allegations, BJP leader and state co-convener for the 'Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas' program, Vikas Markam, questioned the opposition's aversion to the term 'Janjati'.

Markam stated that the framers of the Constitution had included this term in the Constitution after careful deliberation; therefore, objecting to it constitutes an insult to both the Constitution and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. The ruling party asserted that the BJP intends for the Scheduled Tribes to remain aware of their rich cultural heritage and to take pride in it. Accusing the Congress of spreading misinformation to ensure its own political survival, Markam stated that the party has historically sidelined prominent tribal leaders such as Mahendra Karma, Arvind Netam, and P. A. Sangma.

In contrast, highlighting the BJP’s track record, he pointed to the creation of a separate Ministry of Tribal Affairs, the official designation of Birsa Munda’s birth anniversary as 'Tribal Pride Day' (Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas), and the implementation of targeted initiatives such as PM-JANMAN, the Dharti Aaba Abhiyan, and the expansion of Eklavya Model Residential Schools.