MLA raises alarm in Assembly over khejri felling amid ongoing protest in Bikaner

Jaipur: As the ongoing ‘Khejri Bachao Andolan' continues to gain momentum, Congress MLA Dungar Ram Gedar highlighted the alarming plight of the state tree khejri, during the Zero Hour in the Rajasthan Assembly Wednesday. Gedar accused the state govt of failing to act against the large-scale destruction of these vital trees despite a persistent two-year protest led by the Bishnoi community in Bikaner."Khejri being the state tree, there is an urgent need for a strict law to protect it," Gedar said.
The MLA from Suratgarh constituency pointed to the intensity of the protest, noting that lakhs of individuals participated in a "mahapadav" (sit-in) on Feb 1, with 29 saints currently on an indefinite fast, risking their health in the effort to stop further felling of the khejri trees. He expressed concern for the welfare of the protesters, revealing that their condition has worsened, yet no govt officials have reached out or visited the protest site to engage in dialogue. Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also weighed in on the issue, expressing his support for the public movement aimed at preserving not just the khejri trees but also the ecological and cultural heritage of Rajasthan. He took to social media platform X to voice his concerns, describing the indiscriminate cutting of khejri trees in the name of development as "extremely painful and unacceptable." Gehlot emphasised the historical significance tied to the khejri tree, recalling the sacrifice of 363 individuals, including Amrita Devi Bishnoi, who famously laid down their lives to protect these trees in the 18th century. Gehlot said their legacy should be honoured and that environmental protection must be prioritised going forward.