Jharkhand government orders to unchain Birsa Munda's statues

Ranchi: The Jharkhand government has ordered to unchain tribal legend Birsa Munda’s statues ‘with immediate effect’. About 116 years after he died, Jharkhand Chief Minister, Raghubar Das, has ordered that all statues in the state that show Munda in chains be replaced with those that show him to be free.

“The statue depicting Birsa Munda in chains denoted bondage and was a negative influence on the youth,” said Das in a statement.

What Director of Arts and Culture said:

• Anil Kumar Singh, director of arts and culture, Jharkhand, confirmed the news and said that the issue was being discussed at the top level for some time.
• “The top brass expressed the view that depicting Birsa Munda in chains meant accepting him as a British captive, rather than an icon of freedom fighters,” stated the director.
• He also said that the cost of repair will be borne by the departments concerned.
• “It is for the departments concerned to undertake the task of replacing the statues and pictures on their premises. They will have to bear the cost of this,” said Singh.

About the statues:

• Birsa Munda breathed his last on June 9, 1900 after he was jailed for leading a tribal uprising against the British.
• The statue made in memory of the tribal leader, at the Birsa Munda Chowk in Ranchi, that depicts him wearing a turban and a dhoti and his hands in chains, is one of the most famous landmarks.

Reason behind his chained statues:

Anil Kumar Singh said, “many pictures and statues show him in chains, some depict him holding a bow and arrows. One of the possible reasons could be that the British photographed him in chains after arresting him and that picture became the reference point for artists.”