Tribal MP Rajkumar Roat, supporters protest Minister's 'DNA test' remark; march with blood samples

Banswara MP Rajkumar Roat protests against Rajasthan Education Minister's DNA test suggestion, sparks political controversy.

Banswara MP Rajkumar Roat and his supporters on June 29 protested against Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar's suggestion of a DNA test to verify if the tribal leader is the "son of a Hindu".

Holding their blood samples in their hands, the Bharat Adivasi Party leader along with his supporters started marching towards Mr. Dilawar's residence to mark a protest, but were stopped by the police.

He then reached the Amar Jawan Jyoti in Jaipur where the protestors, including many political leaders such as Congress MLA from Gangapur Ramkesh Meena, raised slogans against Mr. Dilawar.

Mr. Roat insisted that if his blood sample was not taken there, he would give it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Parliament. "This matter is not going to be suppressed here. This matter will be raised in the Assembly. I will also raise this issue in front of Modi ji in the Parliament," the MP told reporters.

"If the sample is not taken here, then the blood sample will be given to Prime Minister Modi in the Parliament for a DNA test," he added.

The police pacified the protestors by collecting the blood samples and returned them later. On June 22, a war of words had broken out between Mr. Dilawar and the newly-elected Banswara MP with the Minister suggesting a DNA test to verify whether the tribal leader is a Hindu.

Mr. Roat had recently said that he belongs to a tribal community and adheres to a belief system distinct from organised religions, including Hinduism. Reacting to this, Mr. Dilwar made a controversial statement saying that "if the BAP leader does not consider himself Hindu, a DNA test should be done to verify whether he is the son of a Hindu."