Bigg Boss 18: Donkey Gadhraj evicted in first Weekend Ka Vaar Episode

Days after PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) wrote to Salman Khan, the host of Bigg Boss 18, donkey Gadhraj was evicted during the first Weekend Ka Vaar episode on Sunday. If you missed it, here’s what happened: Salman announced the first eviction of the season, and it wasn't the contestant many expected.

Gadhraj, a donkey brought to the show by contestant Gunaratna, made his debut in the season's premiere episode on August 6. In the Sunday episode, Salman stated that no contestants would be eliminated this weekend. However, Gadhraj left the show after just one week.

PETA India raised concerns earlier in the week about using a donkey for entertainment purposes on Bigg Boss 18. They sent a letter to Salman, urging him to remove the donkey from the show. The letter mentioned that many people had contacted PETA, expressing their distress over the donkey being kept in the Bigg Boss house.

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Donkey Gadhraj evicted from Bigg Boss 18

PETA's letter urged Salman to convince the show's producers to avoid using animals as props for entertainment. They emphasized that this would help prevent stress for the animals and upset for viewers. They also requested that Gadhraj be surrendered to PETA for “rehoming in a sanctuary,” where he could live with other rescued donkeys.

The complaints highlighted concerns about the donkey being confined in a small space and facing the harsh conditions of a television set, which can be distressing for animals like donkeys. PETA pointed out that donkeys are naturally nervous creatures. The lights and noise on a show set can confuse and scare them. 

The letter concluded by stating that while Bigg Boss is meant to be light-hearted entertainment, using animals in such an environment is serious. Many viewers are saddened to see the donkey kept in confined conditions.