New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that no one can be forced or lured into religious conversion, while asserting that tribal communities have the constitutional right to live with dignity according to their faith, customs and identity.
Addressing a Janajati Sanskritik Samagam in Delhi, Shah remembered tribal icon Birsa Munda on his 150th birth anniversary year and said his historic Ulgulan movement had shaken the foundations of British rule. He said Birsa Munda spread the message of protecting faith, forests and identity among tribal communities at a time when there were hardly any communication facilities.
Shah said the framers of the Constitution had given every person the right to live with self respect in their original faith. Referring to the issue of religious conversion, he said nobody could change another person’s religion through greed, inducement or force. He also said it was important for tribal communities to continue living according to their diverse beliefs and traditions.
The Home Minister also addressed concerns around the Uniform Civil Code. He said some people were trying to spread confusion that the UCC would take away the right of tribal communities to follow their traditions and culture. Shah clarified that the Home Ministry under the Narendra Modi government had already made it clear that no restriction under the UCC would apply to the tribal society. He added that in BJP ruled Gujarat and Uttarakhand, tribal communities have been kept outside the scope of UCC through special provisions.
Speaking about the tribal way of life, Shah said forests, hills and water bodies are not just natural resources for tribal communities, but also centres of faith, livelihood and cultural identity. He described the tribal lifestyle as the world’s biggest sustainable model and said tribal communities had preserved the principle of unity in diversity without any written rule.
Shah’s remarks come at a time when debates around religious conversion, tribal identity and the Uniform Civil Code continue to remain politically sensitive. His speech sought to reassure tribal groups that their customs and distinct social practices would remain protected.
The message from the gathering was clear: Birsa Munda’s legacy is being invoked not only as a symbol of resistance against colonial rule, but also as a reminder of tribal pride, cultural continuity and constitutional protection in modern India.