Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on February 5 announced that the state would bring a law to protect the khejri tree — revered as kalpavriksha or the wish fulfilling tree, and recognised as the state tree — following a growing agitation led by sadhus and members of the Bishnoi community against large-scale felling of desert trees.
Three days later, Sharma met a delegation of “revered saints and enlightened members of the Bishnoi community” at his residence. In photographs shared from the meeting, the CM is seen bowing before Ramanand Maharaj, Pithadhishwar of Mukti Dham Mukam in Bikaner, who has emerged as a central figure of the agitation.
The developments came in the backdrop of a mahapadao that began on February 2 in Bikaner, around 275 km north-west of Jaipur. Unlike most protests, the gathering – comprising sadhus, Bishnoi community members, environmentalists, farmers and local residents — grew with each passing day, spreading to neighbouring districts and drawing support from leaders across party lines.
What lent the protest a “sacred” character was not just the khejri tree at its centre, but the large presence of saffron-clad sadhus leading the agitation.
Demand for Amrita Devi Act
At the heart of the protest is the demand for an Amrita Devi Act — a special law for the protection of trees in Rajasthan, particularly desert species such as khejri.
Nearly 300 years ago, Amrita Devi Bishnoi of Khejarli village and her three daughters laid down their lives to prevent the felling of khejri trees ordered by Marwar ruler Maharaja Abhay Singh for the construction of his palace. In the days that followed, 363 members of the Bishnoi community were killed while hugging trees as the king’s men chopped them down. The sacrifice later inspired the Chipko Movement in the 1970s.
Swami Sachchidanand Acharya, one of the leaders of the campaign, said the delegation welcomed the CM’s announcement but sought immediate interim measures. “We believe a law will be brought. But even the tree mafia seems to believe this — which is why trees are now being cut quietly in the dead of night,” he told The Indian Express.
“We want strict instructions to all district collectors to stop tree cutting until the law is tabled and enforced. The mahapadao will continue until such orders are issued,” he added.
Acharya said the proposed law should categorise desert trees such as khejri, rohida, peepal and bargad, which cannot be transplanted and take centuries to mature. “Such trees should not be cut under any circumstances. If they are, there must be stringent punishment, including imprisonment and heavy fines. The solar policy also needs changes to protect trees,” he said, adding that he lost five kilograms during the hunger strike.
Explaining the core concern, Acharya said, “It is about breath. If trees exist, breath exists. If they are felled, temperature rises, biodiversity collapses and the ecosystem dies.”
Ordinance sparks ‘misunderstanding’
The agitation was triggered by a December 3 briefing by Law Minister Jogaram Patel on the Rajasthan Jan Vishwas Ordinance, aimed at “ease of living and ease of doing business” on the lines of the Centre’s Jan Vishwas Act.
The ordinance decriminalises provisions in 11 Acts, replacing imprisonment with monetary penalties. Patel had said that under the Rajasthan Forest Act, 1953, penalties for tree cutting were raised from Rs 100 to Rs 1,000 for the first offence and doubled for repeat violations.
Acharya said the statement caused widespread “bhranti” (misunderstanding). “People have been demanding stricter protection, and instead heard that penalties were increased to just Rs 1,000. The minister also failed to differentiate between general forest laws and a specific law for khejri. In absence of a government clarification, the message (of a weak penalty) spread like wildfire,” he said.
‘Lakhs’ of trees felled
While estimates vary, there is consensus that tens of lakhs of khejri trees have been felled over the past decades.
Independent MLA Ravindra Singh Bhati claimed in the Assembly that over 26 lakh khejri trees were cut in Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Barmer and Bikaner in the last 15 years. “Rajasthan has reached a point where its state tree khejri, state bird godawan and state animal camel are all on the verge of extinction,” he said.
Environment Science Professor Anil Kumar Chhangani of Maharaja Ganga Singh University, Bikaner, estimates that at least 50 lakh khejri trees have been felled in five western districts alone over the past decade. Citing a 1985 CAZRI study, he said khejri density ranged from a minimum of 25–30 trees per hectare to about 150 across the state.
“The rise of solar plants and clearing of native vegetation leads to immediate loss of oxygen, increase in temperature and collapse of agriculture, grazing and biodiversity,” he said.
Congress MLA Rita Choudhary alleged that illegally felled khejri is sold at a mandi near the Haryana-Jhunjhunu border and transported across state lines.
Protest spreads
The agitation expanded through hunger strikes, kalash yatras by women and support from groups such as the ABVP. At its peak, over 500 people were on hunger strike, with several hospitalised. Protesters joined from neighbouring districts and states, and demonstrations spread to Hanumangarh, Sriganganagar and Jalore.
After ministers assured action, some protesters called off their hunger strike. However, confusion followed when the government restricted the ban on khejri felling to Bikaner and Jodhpur divisions, prompting demands for a statewide prohibition.
As of Tuesday, the protest continues, with disappointment setting in among the protesters. Acharya said that, “The axes of the woodcutters are heavy, but our heads are more in numbers… Whatever CM saheb has given, it’s not much, it’s just a little bit.”
Beyond party politics
Former CM Ashok Gehlot described the agitation – coming after the protests over Aravallis – as an “auspicious sign”, calling the felling of khejri trees “heartbreaking” and stressing the need to balance development with nature.
Former CM Vasundhara Raje also extended support, saying, “Khejri is not an ordinary tree; it is sacred and worshipped. Rising above politics, we must protect it.”
Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) chief Hanuman Beniwal said khejri was “the environmental cornerstone of the desert”, vital for biodiversity and rural livelihoods.
With pressure mounting across party lines, it now remains to be seen whether the Sharma government tables a dedicated Khejri protection Bill in the ongoing Assembly session.