Jaipur, Feb. 5 -- Congress MLA Dungar Ram Geder accused the Rajasthan government of ignoring Bishnoi community protests against the indiscriminate felling of Khejri trees, the state tree, during Zero Hour in the state Assembly on Wednesday. Raising the matter through a slip, Geder said the 'Save Environment, Save Khejri' campaign led by the Bishnoi community has been under way in Bikaner for the past two years, yet large-scale cutting of Khejri trees continues. He demanded strict legislation for its protection and alleged that despite awareness of the protests, the government had initiated no dialogue with protesters. Geder claimed lakhs of people joined a recent mass sit-in, with 29 saints and 339 protesters now on indefinite hunger strike in Bikaner-three already taken ill-and no government representative visiting the site. The Congress MLA further alleged that ahead of the Khinvsar by-election in November 2024, the government met Bishnoi saints in Kuchera on November 9 and promised stringent laws to protect Khejri trees, but failed to act after winning. He criticised proposed penalty changes, which raise the fine for tree cutting to Rs.1,000 while replacing a six-month jail term for illegal logging with a Rs.5,000 fine, claiming this eases the way for industrialists. Geder cited ongoing protests, including a 567-day dharna in Nokha Dahiya led by Ramgopal Bishnoi, and a mahapanchayat in Mukam on December 19, 2025, under Swami Ramanandji's leadership, where a mass protest in Bikaner on February 2 was announced. Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully backed the demand, urging the government to show moral responsibility through dialogue. He called the Khejri not only the state tree but a sacred one revered by people, accusing authorities of turning a blind eye....