Bigg Boss 18 Controversy: PETA Asks Salman Khan to ‘Surrender’ Donkey to Declare It ‘No Laughing Matter’
The much-awaited Bigg Boss 18 finally landed on television screens with much fanfare but the controversy saw no waiting in line. During the Bigg Boss grand premiere, one twist that didn’t just take viewers by surprise but left them stunned was when this show announced its 19th contestant-an actual donkey named Gadhraj. Although the whole twist was done to shock viewers in the ‘amusing’ way, it soon turned from being an amazing surprise to an outrage. The host of the show, Salman Khan, got a formal request on Wednesday by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals requesting him to stop using animals for entertainment purposes. This has caused further debate over the ethical treatment of animals in entertainment platforms. Let’s dig into the details and what PETA had to say.
PETA’s Concern: Why Using Gadhraj is Problematic?
The appearance of Gadhraj on the Bigg Boss 18 sets seemed meant to only be a lighthearted, amusing moment for most viewers, but it was not so when regarded by the activists of animals. PETA India came forward, labeling this scenario as “no laughing matter.” The group sent a formal letter to Salman Khan, who rode high on the success of Bigg Boss for seasons, stating that he should think more than twice before having a live animal on the show.
Advocacy associate for PETA India, Shaurya Agrawal, in a letter, pressed the distress caused by Gadhraj’s inclusion. Agrawal said, “We are getting flooded with complaints by members of the public who are very distressed over the keeping of a donkey in the Bigg Boss house. Their concerns are valid and must not be overlooked.”
PETA continued to point to the greater concern that would be associated with using animals in the entertainment world, and said it was not just this donkey- these are nervous, prey animals by nature, who will be shocked and even traumatized by the loud, chaotic, and unfamiliar conditions on the set of a reality show. PETA has declared that animals should never be used in entertainment under such conditions that can cause them distress.
A Call to Action: Rehome Gadhraj
Well, PETA did a lot more than simply request Salman Khan and the Bigg Boss production team to remove Gadhraj from the show; they are actually requesting rehoming for the animal. In their letter, PETA urged Salman Khan and the Bigg Boss production team to “surrender the donkey to PETA India, to rehome him in a sanctuary with other rescued donkeys.” The organization believes that Gadhraj has a right to live in an environment way better than the safety, serenity, and peacefulness away from “artificial and often hostile surroundings of a television set.”.
This raises the question of how animals are treated while they are being used for entertainment purposes. In the case of Bigg Boss, since this is a highly energetic show with loud surroundings and unpredictable, it occurs almost every time that a live animal kept at such a place would mean immense stress. According to PETA, the lights, sounds, and constant human activity can confuse and frighten Gadhraj, and the Bigg Boss show set is altogether an unsuitable place for an animal.
A Broader Moral Controversy: Animals as Spectacle
The Bigg Boss 18 donkey scandal is just the latest ethics controversy regarding the use of animals for human amusement. From circuses to film and television productions, to reality shows, animals more often than not are trained to live in settings that deny their fundamental requirements to survive.
PETA clearly gave notice of the fact that Gadhraj was kept in a very small, confined space where it was made to stand in waste. According to PETA, this is not only cruel but also creates the wrong impression before all the millions who watch the show. In this respect, it goes ahead to mention that distress is caused among viewers interested in the welfare of the animals, making their case against keeping the donkey more tenable.
As per PETA’s perspective, entertainment must not take a toll on animal welfare. Even though Bigg Boss is famous for indulging controversies through the contestants and stunts, this shall not be applied in cases where there is the potential of causing any harm to harmless creatures.
Salman Khan and his Relationship with PETA
Salman Khan, for a long time the host of the reality show Bigg Boss, is at the heart of the storm. Most remarkably, Salman Khan has been a name to reckon with regarding animal rights during the past. His charity organization is called Being Human and supports various causes, the welfare of animals being one of them. In this regard, the situation becomes all the more complicated, because how Salman Khan has actively been involved in this controversy as opposed to his previous actions for animals.
The letter from PETA to Salman Khan emphasized his celebrity status and the public stature he possesses by asking him to stand up for animals too. “Bigg Boss’ is light entertainment, but using animals on a show set is no laughing matter,” said PETA India in the letter. “It’s only Salman Khan who can bring about a change here.”.
Public Reactions: A Divided Audience
Public opinion on this matter has been divided. While some viewers found it quite funny how Gadhraj was presented in the early shows, the rest of them were with PETA on this one. Social media sites have been rife with debates whether or not it is fine to use animals for entertainment purposes, especially in a program like Bigg Boss where there is always high drama and loud settings.
Fans of the show eagerly wait and watch for Salman Khan, along with the Bigg Boss team, to see how they will respond to the growing demands for Gadhraj’s oust. It will probably provide a basis for future debates on entertainment and animal rights and perhaps become a standard for the use of animals in reality shows in the future.
Conclusion: What Next for Gadhraj?
The Salman Khan show is being followed in close proximity amid the controversies of this show, where animal activists PETA have asked the Bigg Boss to remove Gadhraj for participating in the show. Will they remove the bear from the show despite PETA’s request, or will they move ahead with it? Be it the former or the latter, the next step of the showrunners for Gadhraj will not only echo through Bigg Boss 18 but also remind the entire entertainment fraternity that was so busy having a good laugh over this television satire.
The public along with animal rights organizations waits for the public opinion and likely donkey relocation to a more appropriate and humane condition.
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