The Akhil Bhartiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of veteran tribal leader Kartik Oraon with the release of a special coin and a postal stamp in his honour.
In a letter to the prime minister last week, the organisation's president Ramchandra Kharadi also proposed that Oraon's 100th birth anniversary be celebrated nationally "as a day of remembrance and tribute to his remarkable life and services".
This national celebration would be a "fitting recognition" of Oraon's legacy and the values he stood for, Kharadi said, adding that this will also help in "mitigating a sense of alienation and unrest among a section of Scheduled Tribes (STs), particularly the youths".
The Akhil Bhartiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram is an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological fountainhead of the Bharatiya Janata Party ruling at the Centre.
"His (Kartik Oraon's) life and contributions are a source of inspiration not only for Janjatis (tribals) but for all the people across India. His legacy extends beyond political achievements and encapsulates a commitment to the welfare and empowerment of marginalised communities, particularly Janjatis," the letter read.
Oraon, also popularly known as Baba Kartik Saheb, was born on October 29, 1924 at Karounda Littatoli in Gumla district of the erstwhile state of Bihar (now Jharkhand) and passed away on December 8, 1981.
"In light of the 100th birth anniversary of Kartik Oraon, Akhil Bhartiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram respectfully requests the government of India to consider commemorating this occasion with a special coin and a postal stamp in his honor," Kharadi said in the letter.
"Such a tribute would not only acknowledge his significant contributions but also serve as an enduring symbol of inspiration for generations to come, particularly the Janjatis," he added.