Bishnois vs Salman Khan: How the community fought the superstar
Salman Khan was convicted in a two-decades-old case for killing blackbucks and was handed a five-year sentence by the Jodhpur sessions court. Considering Khan's stardom, the jail term is a big blow to him and the film industry. Notably, it was the commitment of the Bishnoi community towards wildlife that kept a case alive for 20 years, and at the end, justice was served. Here's their story.
Who are the Bishnois and why wildlife matters to them
The community was founded by Guru Jambheshwar in 1451 and abides by 29 principles, one of which is, "jeev daya palni, runkh lilo nahi dhave", that loosely translates to the protection of wildlife. Over 50 million Bishnois are spread across North India, but most of them live in Rajasthan. Women from this community are known to breastfeed orphaned animals.
Not just animals, they sacrificed their lives for trees too
In 1730 AD, Jodhpur's king ordered cutting of khejri trees to build a palace. Amrita Devi and her three daughters hugged the trees and were later killed. Hundreds of Bishnois lost their lives protecting the trees and later inspired Chipko Movement of 1973.
Bishnois and blackbucks: Why they just couldn't let Salman go
Fighting a Bollywood superstar, who can afford best lawyers, would surely not have been easy for Bishnois. But they didn't lose hope. Bishnois consider the blackbucks sacred, think of it as a reincarnation of Guru Jambheshwar. In 1995, a Bishnoi Tiger Force was formed to keep a check on poaching in Rajasthan, and they have registered 400 cases so far.
Before making Salman's conviction political, read this about Bishnois
Poonamchand Bishnoi, the eyewitness, deserves all the applaud
On the fateful night, Poonamchand saw a gypsy going into the forest and suspecting hunters, woke his neighbor Chhogaram Bishnoi. On an old bike, they followed the gypsy and identified the stars, that helped the prosecution build its case. Even after 20 years, Poonamchand did not lose his ground and played the most important role in the conviction.
