Umang Singhar is a former minister in Madhya Pradesh.
Former Forest Minister of Madhya Pradesh and Congress MLA from Gandhwani in Dhar district, Umang Singhar, has said that those characterised as apes in the Hindu epic Ramayana were tribals, as was Lord Hanuman.
He was addressing an event on the occasion of the 123rd death anniversary of tribal leader and freedom fighter Birsa Munda in the Dhar district.
"It was Adivasis who took Lord Ram to Lanka. Some people wrote in stories it was the Vanar Sena (ape army). There were no apes. They were Adivasis and they lived in the jungles. Hanuman was also Adivasi. We are his descendants. Be proud," Mr Singhar said.
Lashing out over the statement, Madhya Pradesh BJP spokesperson Hitesh Bajpai tweeted, "They don't consider Hanuman ji as God! They do not consider Hanuman ji to be worshipped by Hindus! They insult Hanuman ji!"
"Is he not a former Congress cabinet minister who is accused of rape and sexual abuse? And running away from arrest by the police? Is this the idea of Congress for Lord Hanuman? Is the Congress speaking the language of Catholic priests at your behest who do conversions," he added, tagging former Chief Minister Kamal Nath and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Last month, another tribal Congress MLA Arjun Singh Kakodia had called Lord Hanuman an Adivasi while addressing a large public gathering and party workers' meeting in the presence of Kamal Nath and other leaders in Seoni district.