JAIPUR: Udaipur MP Manna Lal Rawat has written to chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, urging immediate action against Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) for allegedly seizing 1,000 bighas in Pratapgarh district, purportedly in collusion with Christian missionaries. The move comes after BAP’s Banswara MP Rajkumar Roat posted an audio clip on social media, accusing Rawat of provoking local BJP workers to attack tribal BAP supporters with bamboo sticks. The situation has escalated tensions between local political factions, leading to unrest in the region.
Rawat's letter claims that outsiders, backed by BAP, have taken control of land in Pratapgarh’s Dhariawad tehsil, disrupting local harmony. “Several BAP leaders have been terrorising local communities, seizing land, and displacing residents with the support of Christian organisations,” Rawat told TOI. He did not respond to a question where an audio clip of him threatening tribals with bamboo stick has been shared.
Dhariawad is an assembly constituency in Udaipur, where Rawat's victory in the June elections intensified the power struggle. BAP, which advocates for rights of indigenous people and campaigns for creation of a separate state, 'Bhil Pradesh,' is facing strong opposition from the BJP. BAP also seeks an increase in the tribal reservation quota from 45% to 70%, which the BJP has termed a 'divisive plot'. Roat, BAP’s MP from Banswara, has accused Rawat of encouraging violence against tribal communities in a post on X. “Will the BJP leadership act against Rawat for inciting anti-tribal sentiments?” Roat asked.
BAP president Mohan Lal Roat countered Rawat's claims, accusing BJP of attempting to disrupt peace in tribal regions. “BAP has prevented BJP from converting tribals and diluting their culture, which is why they are making baseless accusations,” Roat said, defending his party's stance and accusing the saffron party of targeting communities that don't align with their political interests.
He clarified that BJP has termed the permanent occupants as settlers only to render a message that those who don't vote for them will face their wrath.
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