Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President Nitin Nabin on Sunday, 15 November 2026, paid tribute on the 151st birth anniversary of freedom fighter Birsa Munda, declaring that the eradication of Naxalism from India is a 'mark of honour' for the tribal community. Speaking to reporters in Patna, Nabin's remarks came on Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas, a day observed nationally to honour the contributions of tribal communities.

What Nabin Said

Addressing reporters, the BJP chief said: 'On the occasion of the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, I extend my heartiest congratulations to all countrymen, especially the Tribal community.' He emphasised that the tribal community's development is inseparable from India's larger vision of progress under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Nabin further stated, 'Completely eradicating Naxalism from its roots in 2026 is something I view as a mark of honour for the tribal community.' He credited the Prime Minister for taking a firm oath to eliminate Naxalism from affected regions including parts of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Telangana, and Jharkhand.

Bastar as a Symbol of Transformation

Highlighting the turnaround in Bastar, Nabin noted that when PM Modi travelled to the region to celebrate Diwali with soldiers this year, it signalled that Naxalism had been completely eradicated. 'Earlier, guns were raised in Bastar, but today the place is discussed for its contribution to sports,' he said — a pointed contrast intended to underscore the region's changed reality.

Nabin also highlighted the symbolic significance of President Droupadi Murmu, who hails from the tribal community, saying that tribal leaders today are heading states as well as the country itself.

PM Modi's Address at Gadchiroli

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi virtually addressed the Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas programme organised in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli, where he reflected on the scale of Maoist violence that once gripped tribal regions. 'There used to be hundreds of violent incidents every year. Thousands of innocent people, a large number of them were tribals, lost their lives,' he said.

Contrasting that period with the present, the Prime Minister added: '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 also said that tribal communities previously affected by Naxalism had been 'abandoned by the then governments.'

Broader Context and Significance

The occasion of Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas — observed on 15 November, the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda — has in recent years become a platform for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party to underscore its tribal outreach agenda. This year's edition carries added weight given the government's claim of near-total elimination of Left Wing Extremism, a goal that successive governments had pursued for over two decades.

Notably, Gadchiroli in Maharashtra was itself once one of the most Naxal-affected districts in the country, making the choice of venue for the event a deliberate statement. With assembly-level elections in several tribal-heavy states on the horizon, the government's messaging around Naxal eradication and tribal welfare is expected to remain at the forefront of political discourse in the months ahead.