Jaipur: The prolonged protest and indefinite hunger strike to save Khejri trees in Rajasthan appears to be moving toward a resolution as Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma announced that a dedicated law will be enacted to protect the sacred tree.
Addressing the State Assembly, the CM assured citizens, “We will introduce a law to conserve the Khejri tree across Rajasthan. The draft will be presented in the Assembly soon.”
Earlier, amid protests at the Bikaner Collectorate, State Minister K.K. Bishnoi offered juice to the fasting activists and announced a ban on felling Khejri trees in the Jodhpur and Bikaner divisions. However, protesters resumed their hunger strike, demanding a statewide ban and a formal legal framework.
खेजड़ी केवल एक वृक्ष नहीं, राजस्थान के त्याग, शौर्य और जीवंतता का प्रतीक है। ‘विकास भी, विरासत भी’ के संकल्प के साथ हमारी सरकार अब खेजड़ी के संरक्षण के लिए सशक्त कानून लाएगी। हम अपनी जड़ों को सुरक्षित कर, आने वाली पीढ़ियों को एक हरा-भरा और समृद्ध प्रदेश सौंपने हेतु प्रतिबद्ध हैं। pic.twitter.com/Gr4dsPWGI0
— Bhajanlal Sharma (@BhajanlalBjp) February 5, 2026
Health Worries Mount Among Protesters During Khejri Tree Strike
The CM noted that environmentalist saints from Bikaner, Phalodi, Jodhpur, and Nagaur had met him in August, after which officials were instructed to draft a Khejri conservation law. Minister Bishnoi addressed the protesters, assuring written commitment for the long-term protection of the tree. Despite this, the saints insisted on receiving the formal document before ending the fast.
Health concerns grew as more than two dozen protesters, including fasting saints, fell seriously ill. Three were admitted to PBM Hospital, prompting authorities to set up two temporary 75-bed medical facilities at the protest site.
The protest initially involved 363 environmental activists, later increasing to 450 participants, including 29 saints, 68 women, and a female ascetic, aged 18–80 years, all medically examined amid the strike.
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A study by Professor Anil Chhangani from Maharaja Ganga Singh University revealed that nearly five million trees, including Khejri, Ber, Ker, Rohida, and Babool, were cut in Rajasthan over the past decade, largely due to solar power projects.
Prominent leaders, including former CMs Vasundhara Raje Scindia and Ashok Gehlot, as well as MLAs Ravindra Singh Bhati and Abhimanyu Singh Poonia, have supported the movement. Following the Save Aravalli movement, the campaign to save Khejri trees has become a major environmental challenge for the Rajasthan government.