In case you missed out on catching the first Weekend Ka Vaar episode of Bigg Boss 18 on Sunday, we've got you covered. Host Salman Khan announced the first eviction of the new season of the popular reality show – and it's not who you were expecting it to be.

First eviction

On the Sunday episode, Salman Khan announced that no contestant would get eliminated this weekend. However, donkey Gadhraj, who made his debut in the premiere episode on August 6, has bid farewell to the show after its first week. Gadhraj is the pet of contestant Gunaratna, who reportedly brought him along to the show.

However, earlier this week, animal rights body PETA India objected to the use of a donkey for the purpose of entertainment on Bigg Boss 18. The Indian leg of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals wrote a letter to Salman to use his influence to remove a donkey from the sets.

What did the letter say?

"We are being inundated with complaints by members of the public who are deeply distressed over the keeping of a donkey in the Bigg Boss house. Their concerns are valid and must not be ignored," read the letter.

Through the letter, PETA India asked Salman to "urge the show's producers to avoid using animals as props for entertainment". "This would not only prevent stress to the animals and upset to viewers, but also set a powerful precedent," it read.

In the letter, the not-for-profit organisation also requested that the donkey be surrendered to PETA India for “rehoming in a sanctuary,” where it could live alongside other rescued donkeys.

The complaints centre around the donkey being confined in a small space and exposed to the harsh conditions of a television set, which can be particularly distressing for prey animals like donkeys.

"'Bigg Boss' is light-hearted entertainment, but the use of animals on a show set is no laughing matter. As prey animals, donkeys are naturally nervous. They, and other animals, would find the lights, sounds and clamor that is standard on all show sets confusing and frightening. That a show set is no place for an animal is obvious to viewers who are saddened to see the donkey kept in a small, confined space standing in waste," the letter stated.

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