‘Salman Khan should come to our temple and…’: Bishnoi community head open to consider apology in blackbuck case

Jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi issued multiple death threats to actor Salman Khan, and a month ago, gunshots were fired by Bishnoi's gang members outside Salman Khan's residence in Mumbai. While the police arrested the accused in the firing case, the danger continues to loom over Salman Khan's life, and recently, his ex-girlfriend Somy Ali apologised on behalf of the actor. The apology evoked a response from All India Bishnoi Society President Devendra Budiya, who said that the community can forgive Salman Khan if he himself asks for forgiveness. 

"If Salman himself apologises, the Bishnoi society will consider the apology as the mistake was not made by Somy Ali, but by Salman. No one else can apologise on his behalf. If he himself comes to the temple and seeks forgiveness, our samaj (community) could think about forgiving him because one of our 29 rules is forgiveness. Salman should further take an oath that he will never make such a mistake and will work to protect wildlife and the environment, then we can consider a decision to forgive him," Live Hindustan quoted Devendra Budiya as saying in Hindi. 

Salman Khan became a target of Lawrence Bishnoi's gang after his name cropped up in the 1998 Blackbuck killing case. The incident occurred during the shooting of the 1999 film ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain,’ and it is alleged that Salman Khan hunted a blackbuck in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. 

The Bishnoi community holds blackbucks in high reverence, considering them as the reincarnations of their spiritual leader Bhagwan Jambeshwar. 

What did Somy Ali say?

Salman Khan's ex-girlfriend, Somy Ali, apologised on the actor's behalf and asked the leader of the Bishnoi tribe to forget about the incident. She also said that it is not right to take someone's life and one should have faith in India's judicial system. 

"I don't support hunting as a sport but this event took place so many years ago. Salman was much younger in 1998. I want to request the head of the Bishnoi tribe to forget about it and move on. I apologise on his behalf (Salman) if he has made a mistake and please forgive him,” Somy Ali said in her recent interview with the Hindustan Times. 

“Taking someone's life is not acceptable, be it Salman or an average common man. If you want justice, you should move to the court. I have full faith in India's judicial system and lawyers, the same as America. I want to appeal to the Bishnoi community that harming Salman Khan will not bring back the blackbuck. Whatever happened to me cannot be changed; let bygones be bygones. I have made peace with myself. My life is completely dedicated to No More Tears now,” she added.