New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has strongly criticised the Supreme Court’s directive to remove all stray dogs from the streets of Delhi-NCR and shift them permanently to shelters, calling it “a step back from humane, science-backed policy.”
In a post on X, Gandhi said the move treats stray dogs as “problems to be erased” rather than living beings deserving compassion.
“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,” he wrote.
His remarks came a day after the apex court, acting in a suo motu case over the rising stray dog menace in Delhi-NCR, directed governments and civic bodies in Noida, Gurugram, and Ghaziabad to sterilise stray dogs and move them permanently to shelters within eight weeks. The court also warned against any obstruction to the implementation of this order.
The directive has sparked a debate, with leaders from various political parties voicing mixed reactions over the issue.
