Audio Clip Controversy: Udaipur MP Slams BAP & Rajkumar Roat for Forest Land Grabs, Spreading Separatism, and Misleading Tribals

Udaipur- In a growing political feud between two tribal MPs from southern Rajasthan, Udaipur MP Dr. Mannalal Rawat from the BJP has hit back at allegations from Banswara MP Rajkumar Roat of the Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP).

The controversy centers on a viral audio clip in which a BJP leader is allegedly heard discussing the beating of tribals with sticks and burning their homes for supporting the BTP. Roat claims that one of the voices in the audio belongs to MP Mannalal Rawat, who, despite being a tribal himself, is allegedly talking about demolishing the homes of his own community members—a mindset that Roat considers more dangerous than that of a terrorist.

On Monday, following a symbolic protest in Udaipur, Roat met with police officials, demanding an investigation into the audio clip and warning that if no action is taken within 10 days, tribals from Banswara and Udaipur would take to the streets.

On Tuesday, Dr. Mannalal Rawat addressed the media regarding the issue, neither confirming nor denying whether the voice in the audio was his. In response to Rajkumar Roat's allegations, Rawat accused the Bhartiya Tribal Party of illegally clearing 1,000 bighas of forest land in Pratapgarh’s Dhariyawad region with the help of outsiders. He said that after a complaint, the district collector conducted a raid with the forest and police departments, and a report was submitted to the state government. Rawat added, “Now that the truth has come to light, Rajkumar Roat is frustrated and spouting nonsense.”

In his media interaction, Rawat made serious allegations against the BTP and MP Roat, accusing them of misleading the tribal community, spreading separatism, and using outsiders to intimidate locals. When asked if the voice in the viral audio was his, Rawat sidestepped the question, stating that the clearing of hundreds of bighas of forest near the Sitamata Sanctuary naturally led to anger among the villagers. He remarked, "If people are clearing forests, and outsiders are destroying tribal homes and forests, intimidating them, and trying to chase them away with force, will the villagers not express their anger? Will they not retaliate?"

"The indigenous community is known for protecting trees and safeguarding forests, but the BTP is doing the exact opposite. What kind of people act this way? Who is teaching them that tribals are not Hindus? Why are they creating divisions and misleading our people?" questioned Rawat. "They have been exposed, and as a result, they have lost their credibility," he added.

Reffering to Roat's comments on the August 1 Supreme Court decision regarding SC-ST reservations, Rawat said that Roat had distorted the facts and that the community understood his real intentions. "Roat doesn’t want the Bhils to access their constitutional rights. He is advancing the Catholic Church of Ranchi's agenda, which is pushing for a separate religious code for tribals," Rawat alleged.

He further criticized Roat for hypocrisy and claiming that the IPC (Indian Penal Code) doesn’t apply to tribals on one hand, while on the other side, staging protests outside police stations demanding cases to be filed. Rawat also accused Roat of disrespecting tribal women for wearing sindoor and mangalsutras.

Calling out the BTP's inconsistencies, Rawat remarked, "They started as BTP, became BAP, and one day they'll be BTC. They boycott presidential elections one day and align with Congress for Rajya Sabha elections the next. They don't talk about development; their sole agenda is spreading division."

Rawat went on to accuse Rajkumar Roat and his party workers of exacerbating unemployment in tribal regions and linking young people to violent activities. "They don’t recognize the IPC, but they instigated riots at Kakri Doongri, leading to cases being filed against 7,500 young people from the community. They talk about providing jobs to youth who’ve only completed fifth or eighth grade, but do they mean to offer them jobs in stone-pelting? Roat and his party drove away all the wealth creators from Dungarpur, resulting in the closure of around 350 businesses that provided jobs to locals. As a result, unemployment has skyrocketed in the area."