In 1998, Salman Khan faced a case during the filming of the 1999 movie Hum Saath Saath Hain, where he was accused of hunting a blackbuck in Rajasthan. Alongside co-stars Tabu, Sonali Bendre, and Neelam, he was charged. In 2018, Salman received a five-year prison sentence but was later released on bail. To this day, Salman Khan continues to deal with the repercussions of that incident.
In a recent interview with HT, actress Somy Ali appealed to the Bishnoi gang to forgive Salman Khan for the blackbuck poaching incident in 1998. This has sparked a debate within the community, with some members suggesting forgiveness while others believe that pardoning him would undermine the Bishnoi community's anti-poaching efforts.
Blackbucks hold sacred significance for the Bishnois, entangled in a lengthy legal dispute with Khan for more than two decades. The Akhil Bhartiya Bishnoi Mahasabha (ABBM), under Devendra Budia's guidance, proposed a route towards reconciliation. Budia emphasized forgiveness as one of the community's core principles. He suggested that Khan could earn forgiveness by visiting their temple, engaging with community members, and pledging to safeguard wildlife and the environment.
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In contrast, the Bishnoi Tiger Force (BTF), a dissenting faction, rebuffed the notion of forgiveness. BTF's president, Rampal Bhawa, criticized Budia's stance as "unjustified," alleging it weakens the Bishnoi community's anti-poaching efforts. Bhawa conveyed his dissent through a video message.
Somy Ali, a close associate of Khan's, recently implored the Bishnois to move beyond the incident, while affirming her own stance against hunting. This appeal follows an assault on Khan's residence in Mumbai by assailants associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.