Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday addressed a gathering in Narmada, Gujarat, on Janjatiya Gaurav Divas(Tribal Pride Day), emphasizing the integral role of tribal society in India’s consciousness and freedom movement. The Prime Minister’s visit also included a review of the progress of the ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor (MAHSR) in Surat.

1. Janjatiya Gaurav Divas: Honoring Tribal Contribution

The Prime Minister’s address focused heavily on recognizing the long-neglected contributions of the tribal community, particularly their sacrifices in the fight for independence.

• Commemorating Birsa Munda: PM Modi confirmed that his government initiated the celebration of Janjatiya Gaurav Divas on November 15 to mark the birth anniversary of the revered tribal freedom fighter, Dharti Aaba Bhagwan Birsa Munda. The day’s celebration this year was particularly significant, marking the 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda.
• Tribal Contribution: He asserted that “Tribal pride has been an integral part of India’s consciousness for thousands of years,” and that the tribal society has always stood at the forefront whenever the question of the country’s honour and self-rule arose.
• Attack on Previous Governments: The Prime Minister accused previous Congress governments of deliberately neglecting the tribal community for six decades, leading to persistent issues of malnutrition, scarce education, and a lack of development in tribal regions. He claimed this was done to ensure credit for the freedom struggle was given only to “a few families.”
• Government’s Priority: He highlighted that for the BJP, tribal welfare has always been a priority. On the occasion, he inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for development projects worth over ₹9,700 crore in Narmada district, focusing on tribal welfare, infrastructure, and heritage under schemes like PM-JANMAN and the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA).

2. Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor (MAHSR) Review

Earlier in the day, PM Modi visited the under-construction Bullet Train Station in Surat to assess the progress of the MAHSR project, India’s leap into high-speed connectivity.

Project Detail	Status/Specification
Total Length	Approximately 508 kilometres
Route Distribution	352 km in Gujarat & Dadra and Nagar Haveli; 156 km in Maharashtra
Key Cities Connected	Mumbai, Thane, Vapi, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad, Sabarmati
Viaduct Work Completed	326 km completed (out of 465 km, or 85% of the route)
River Bridges Completed	17 out of 25 completed
Travel Time Reduction	Will reduce travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad to nearly two hours
Impact	Expected to revolutionize inter-city travel and boost business, tourism, and economic activity.

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The project is being built with advanced engineering, featuring elevated viaducts to ensure minimal land disturbance and enhanced safety, symbolizing a transformative step in India’s transportation infrastructure