The Minister, Shilpi Neha Tirkey, emphasized that the Jani Shikar is a traditional festival of the Uraon tribe, celebrated every 12 years. It commemorates the victory of tribal women at Rohtasgarh against the Mughals. During the festival, women dress as men and participate in hunting, symbolizing their bravery and courage. The Minister was speaking at the Jani Shikar festival 2025, organized by the All Tribal Women’s Association of Assam and the All Tribal Students Association of Assam in the Dibrugarh District Library auditorium in Assam. She inaugurated the event as the chief guest. She highlighted the importance of preserving traditions and passing them down through generations. She also addressed the challenges faced by the tribal community in Assam, including exploitation, inadequate healthcare, lack of education, low wages, and the struggle to be included in the ST list. She noted that the fight for women’s empowerment has been ongoing for 200 years. She mentioned that the tribal community is the original inhabitants of the land and that there has been a conspiracy to call them forest dwellers. She cautioned that there is a conspiracy today to change the constitution, which attempts to take away the fundamental rights of citizens. Several dignitaries, including UNESCO co-chairperson Dr. Sonajharia Minj, were present at the event.
