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Rajasthan Assembly: Urgent plea to save state tree
5 Feb
Summary
- Congress MLA highlights plight of state tree Khejri in Rajasthan Assembly.
- Protesters have been holding a sit-in and indefinite fast for two years.
- Former CM supports movement, citing historical sacrifice for Khejri trees.
In the Rajasthan Assembly on Wednesday, Congress MLA Dungar Ram Gedar brought to light the critical condition of the Khejri, the state tree, during Zero Hour. He voiced strong criticism against the state government for inaction concerning the large-scale felling of these trees, despite a sustained two-year protest by the Bishnoi community in Bikaner. Gedar stressed the necessity of a stringent law for the protection of the Khejri tree. The protest intensified with a 'mahapadav' on February 1, drawing lakhs of participants, and currently includes 29 saints on an indefinite fast. He expressed deep concern over the protesters' deteriorating health and the lack of governmental engagement.
Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot publicly backed the conservation movement, framing it as a fight for Rajasthan's ecological and cultural legacy. He lamented the unchecked destruction of Khejri trees in the name of development. Gehlot recalled the 18th-century sacrifice of Amrita Devi Bishnoi and 363 others who died protecting these trees, urging that their bravery be honored and environmental preservation be made a priority going forward.
