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3 min readNew DelhiFeb 11, 2026 06:41 PM IST
Rajkumar Roat criticised both the UPA and the NDA in their approach towards combating Maoist violence. (Photo: X/Rajkumar Roat)
Rajasthan MP Rajkumar Roat caused a minor flutter in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday by comparing slain Communist Party of India (Maoist) guerrilla fighter Madvi Hidma with revolutionary tribal leader Birsa Munda, saying, “Maybe for the future generations he will be remembered as Birsa”.
Hidma, the commander of CPI (Maoist)’s Battalion 1, was responsible for several attacks on security forces over the past decade that led to hundreds of casualties. He was killed by security forces in Andhra Pradesh last year.
“Today 150th anniversary of Birsa Munda is being celebrated. We are proud of this. But who was Brisa Munda? He was an anti-national for the zamindars and the British at the time. Today, he is a revolutionary, a God, and an ideal for us. He used to fight for jal (water), jungle and zameen (land). Today, Hidma is a Naxalite in your eyes in today’s perspective. Maybe for the future generations, he will be remembered as Birsa,” the Bharat Adivasi Party MP said while participating in the debate over the Union Budget.
When Jagadambika Pal, who was in the chair, objected to this, Roat said, “I am trying to ask why the adivasi youth is picking up the gun. We needed to give pens into the hands of the tribal youth, but they are picking up the gun. I want to say that the struggle of the Jal, Jungle, Zameen has to be waged with the pen and not with the gun.”
Roat criticised both the UPA and the NDA in their approach towards combating Maoist violence.
“Under the Congress, the Salwa Judum movement was started. More than 500 tribals, branded as Naxals, were killed; 800 security personnel laid down their lives; and 1,500 ordinary tribals were killed in that bloody game. Thousands of tribal women were raped. In today’s time also, more than 500 tribals have been killed, branded as Naxals. I want to say that those being killed as Naxals are this country’s tribals. He is the original owner of this land,” Roat said.
At this, Pal interjected again, “You are a responsible member of this House. You are trying to glorify Naxalites.”
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Roat, however, continued: “I agree tribals picking up the gun must stop. But who is giving them guns from China? Naxalism must end in March 2026, but who are the people supplying them guns? That must be investigated.”
He then began speaking about the tribal community in Rajasthan to which he belongs. “The greatest injustice in this country has been done to the Bhil community. After independence, the community was divided into four states,” he said.
Speaking about the Budget, Roat alleged that it had ignored the tribals and there was no special allocation for the education of the community. He alleged that schools in tribal areas were running under tents. He also criticised the VB-G RAM G scheme, saying it had promised 125 days of work, but even in the earlier scheme, people were not getting a full quota of 100 days. He also demanded an increase in the remuneration of anganwadi workers.
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