A contentious statement made by a Congress MLA from Madhya Pradesh has ignited a fierce debate. Umang Singhar, representing Gandhwani, referred to Hindu deity Lord Hanuman as an ‘Adivasi’ (tribal), leading to a war of words. Singhar allegedly made these remarks during an event commemorating the 123rd death anniversary of tribal leader Birsa Munda in Dhar district. The MLA sought to explain that the beings described as apes in the epic Ramayana were, in fact, tribals.

Singhar stated, “Adivasis who resided in the forests aided Lord Ram in reaching Lanka. Some have referred to them as the ‘Vanar Sena’ (ape army). However, these are merely stories. Hanuman was also an Adivasi, and we are descendants of him.”

The statement evoked a strong reaction from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with Hitesh Bajpai, the party spokesperson, considering it an “insult.” Bajpai further expressed his concern, saying, “They do not consider Hanuman ji as God! They do not recognize Hanuman ji as a deity revered by Hindus!”

This incident comes just a month after another Congress MLA, Arjun Singh Kakodia, made a similar assertion while addressing a public gathering in the presence of Kamal Nath in Seoni district. Kakodia, the representative of Barghat constituency, also claimed that Lord Shiva was a tribal who consumed poison to save the world.

In a tweet directed at former Chief Minister Kamal Nath and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Bajpai questioned, “Is this how the Congress perceives Lord Hanuman? Is the Congress adopting the language of Catholic priests who engage in conversions?”

In response to Bajpai’s tweet, the former Minister of Forests in Madhya Pradesh demanded an apology for demeaning tribals and hurting their sentiments.

Singhar questioned whether considering it insulting to Hanumanji when he mentioned tribals as the descendants of Lord Hanumanji. He highlighted that his speech acknowledged the link between Lord Hanumanji and the tribal society, and expressed his disappointment at being publicly labeled as a tribal and having his address labeled as derogatory.