Chhattisgarh is a witness to tribal valor and sacrifice: Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai

Chief Minister participates in the 201st martyrdom anniversary and tribute ceremony of Shaheed Shiromani Gaindsingh-Photo Credit CG/PR

Announcement of a square, statue, and community centers in the name of Shaheed Gaindsingh

Raipur: Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Wednesday January 21 , 2026 participated in the 201st martyrdom anniversary and tribute ceremony of Shaheed Shiromani Gaindsingh, organised by the All India Halba-Halbi Tribal Society at Science College Ground, Raipur. On this occasion, Chief Minister Sai paid tribute to the great tribal hero and pioneer of the freedom struggle, Shaheed Gaindsingh.

During the program, Chief Minister Sai announced the naming of a square and the installation of a statue in New Raipur in honor of Shaheed Gaindsingh, the renovation of the community hall of the society in Changorabhata, and the provision of Rs. 10 lakh each for the construction of Halba community centers in Deori (Balod district), Markatola, Danitola, Nagri, Dongargaon (Kanker district), and Bhanpuri and Karutola (Bastar district).

The Chief Minister also announced the construction of an open-air theater in Kitur village and the renovation of the Shri Ram Temple in Chapka, Bastar.

Addressing the program, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said that the history of the tribal community has been extremely glorious and rich. He said that although the freedom struggle in the country is considered to have started in 1857, the echoes of tribal revolutions were heard on the land of Chhattisgarh much earlier.

The great revolutionary Shaheed Gaindsingh was martyred in 1825 while fighting against British rule, and even in that period, the tribal community played a leading role in the fight for freedom, Sai said .

Chief Minister Sai said that Chhattisgarh witnessed not one or two, but a total of 14 tribal revolutions that shook the foundations of British rule. This land has been the land of great leaders like Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh, Shaheed Gaindsingh, and Veer Gundadhur, he added. .

He said that unfortunately, these heroes and tribal leaders did not receive their rightful place in the pages of history for a long time. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has worked to ensure that the contributions of these tribal heroes are recognized at the national level, CM Sai noted.

The Chief Minister said that a Tribal Museum based on the 14 tribal revolutions that took place in Chhattisgarh has been built in Naya Raipur, and it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself. This museum presents a pictorial description and in-depth information about all these revolutions. He urged citizens to visit this museum so that they can fully understand the contributions of the tribal heroes to the land of Chhattisgarh, a land of sacrifice.

Chief Minister Sai said that today, a daughter of the tribal community, President Draupadi Murmu, holds the highest office in the country, and the state of Chhattisgarh is also being led by a son of the tribal community. He said that former Prime Minister Bharat Ratna, the revered Atal Bihari Vajpayee, took historical decisions for the all-round development of the tribal community. Under his leadership, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs was formed, which today, with a budget of thousands of crores of rupees, is giving a new direction to the development of the tribal community.

The Chief Minister said that the decision to celebrate the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda on November 15 as ‘Tribal Pride Day’ is historic. New chapters are being written in the welfare of the tribal community through the Dharti Aaba Gram Utkarsh Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Janman Yojana. The state government is prioritising the provision of basic facilities like roads, electricity, and water in tribal-dominated areas. Chhattisgarh has also received national recognition for the effective implementation of these schemes.

Chief Minister Sai said that our ancestors considered education as the key to development. Chhattisgarh has made remarkable progress in the field of education, and today, national-level institutions like IIMs, IITs, and AIIMS are operating in the state.

He urged the enlightened members of society to promote education, disseminate information about government schemes to the community, and make the youth aware of their rights and goals. The Chief Minister said that Naxalism has been the biggest obstacle to development in the Bastar region for a long time, but this obstacle is being overcome thanks to the resolve of the double-engine government and the indomitable courage of our security forces.

A new wave of development is now flowing through this region, which had been deprived of development for years, Sai added.

On this occasion, Cabinet Minister Tankram Verma said that Shaheed Gend Singh was the first brave martyr and people’s leader of Chhattisgarh, who sounded the bugle of rebellion against British rule in 1824-25. He waged a courageous struggle against the British exploitation of resources and the oppression of the tribal people. He said that the contribution of the tribal heroes of Chhattisgarh to the country’s freedom struggle has been unparalleled.

The program was attended by Dr. Devendra Mahla, Central President of the All India Halba-Halbi Tribal Society, General Secretary Girwar Singh Thakur, Mahesh Gagra, and many other dignitaries from the community.