'Public safety, animal welfare go hand in hand': Rahul on SC's stray dog order; terms blanket removals 'cruel'

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday criticised the Supreme Court's order to relocate stray dogs to shelters in Delhi-NCR, calling it a "step back from decades of humane, science-backed policy." The leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha further emphasised that the "voiceless soul," are "not the problems to be erased." Taking to X, he further suggested that the shelters, sterilisation, vaccination and 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," the Congress MP further said in a post on X.

'Make all localities free of stray dogs,' says SCRahul Gandhi's remark came after a bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan said that all localities should be made free of stray dogs and there should not be any compromise. The bench also directed that no captured dogs will be released back on the streets. The court also ordered contempt proceedings against anyone obstructing the capture drive."If any individual or organisation comes in the way of picking stray dogs or rounding them up, we will proceed to take action against any such resistance," said Justice Pardiwala on Monday.

"NCT Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad, MCD, NMDC shall start picking up stray dogs from all localities, particularly from more vulnerable localities. It is for the authorities to look into if they have to create a force, do it at the earliest. However, this should be the first and foremost exercise to make all localities free of stray dogs. There should not be any compromise in undertaking the exercise," said the bench.Police detain protestors Several animal rights activists, rescuers, caregivers and dog lovers on Monday protested the SC's decision in front of India Gate, leading to detention."They don't want us to talk. These people are throwing everyone into jail. I am being detained because I do the noble work of feeding animals," a caregiver of dogs, told PTI, while being detained by the Police.