Supreme Court on Monday gave a directive to clear stray dogs from Delhi NCR localities which has triggered a polarized response across political spectrum. A two-judge bench’s directive set tight timelines and ordered shelters with professional staff, sterilisation and immunisation facilities, CCTV monitoring, and helplines for bite reporting.
The court warned that any person or organisation obstructing the operation would face strict legal action and said dogs should not be released back into public places.
While some animal lovers are criticizing the top court’s directive, one critical voice is also loud, that of Congress and their leader Rahul Gandhi. However, several contradictions to this step surfaces.
Lack of Consensus in Congress
Rahul Gandhi took to social media and wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “The SC’s directive to remove all stray dogs from Delhi-NCR is a step back from decades of humane, science-backed policy. These voiceless souls are not “problems” to be erased. Shelters, sterilisation, vaccination & community care can keep streets safe – without cruelty. Blanket removals are cruel, shortsighted, and strip us of compassion. We can ensure public safety and animal welfare go hand in hand.”
While this clears congress’ stance of opposing SC’s directive, Senior congress leader P Chidambaram wrote something contradictory to congress’ stance.
He wrote “The Supreme Court’s directions on stray dogs must be implemented in every city and town. It is not difficult to round up stray dogs and put them in proper dog shelters. All that a town needs is government or municipal land on the outskirts of a town; levelling the land and fencing it; and putting the dogs in the enclosed space. Of course, provisions must be made for food and water. There are cost-effective ways to find the food and water for the dogs. ABC methods must and can be thought of in due course, but the first task is to round up the stray dogs and put them in a protected place. Streets must be free and safe for all people especially children and elderly people.”
Does Rahul has Moral Standing to speak on Animal Rights
After SC’s directive on stray dogs followed by Rahul Gandhi’s criticism, various critics took to social media, sharing Rahul’s pictures of feasting on animals. One user @NalinisKitchen shared a picture of Rahul Gandhi eating non veg and wrote “So eating animals killed in factory farms is fine, but removing strays for public safety is cruel? Selective compassion isn’t compassion at all.”
Another user @RohitashwT shared picture of Rahul Gandhi cooking non veg and wrote “Rare picture of Rahul helping voiceless souls by eating them up…”
One user wrote sharing pictures of Lalu Yadav and Rahul Gandhi “Janeudhari Brahman Rahul Gandhi met Lalu Yadav on 4th august and cooked Mutton. His team waited for Saawan to end before releasing his video of cooking meat.”
However, Rahul Gandhi’s stance on Dogs is not new. He himself owns an imported beagle breed. Names of dogs ‘Nuri’ and ‘Pidi’ have flashed the headlines before. During Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi often took his dog to the office and videos have flooded social media showing Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi playing with their dog Nuri.
But this controversy is not just personal, but political.
Like most dog parents, Rahul has never shied away from displaying his love for his pet ‘Pidi’. At times at the wrong time.
BJP leaders posted a video of Rahul Gandhi with a dog on an open sports utility vehicle during his yatra. In the clip, Rahul Gandhi is seen offering a biscuit to a man after it has been rejected by the dog. The man who was offered the dog-rejected biscuit was a Congress supporter who came to attend Rahul’s rally.
The Supreme Court’s directive has sparked an important conversation about how we can keep our cities safe without losing compassion for animals. Rahul Gandhi’s stance shows empathy, but the contradictions between his criticism and personal lifestyle have left many confuse. In the end, what we truly need is a sensitive and effective approach that balances human safety with animal welfare without getting lost in political games.