New Delhi, Aug 12 (PTI) Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale on Tuesday wrote to Chief Justice of India B R Gavai, appealing to him for a stay on directions by the Supreme Court for removing stray dogs
in Delhi.
The issue has caused a sharp divide, especially on social media, with one side supporting the apex court’s Monday directive, citing the risk of rabies and inconvenience caused to residents by stray dogs, and the other side calling it impractical and inhumane.
In a letter addressed to the CJI, Rajya Sabha member Gokhale contended that the SC directions are in contravention of the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, and urged that the apex court should consider instituting a committee of experts and other stakeholders towards ensuring a holistic and humane solution to the issue taken up suo-moto in this matter.
He also said the directions do not take into account the impediments involved in setting up a large number of animal shelters, and the unintentional consequence of these directions will be to consign all stray dogs in Delhi to “a certain death in extremely inhumane conditions”.
“I have written to the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India this morning with an appeal for a stay on the directions passed by the SC yesterday regarding stray dogs in Delhi and for the review of the order by a larger Bench,” Gokhale said in a post on X.
He said the issue of management of stray dogs, as well as the safety of the people, is definitely a matter of concern.
“However, it is not something that can be resolved by arbitrary orders passed by the judiciary without any larger consultative process. Also, subjecting defenceless animals to wanton cruelty can never be a solution,” Gokhale said.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also took to X to oppose the SC directive, saying it is going to result in horrendously inhumane treatment of them and is a step back from decades of humane, science-backed policy.
“We have sufficient laws in the country to deal with the issue of stray dogs and their sterilisation as well as population control. And I agree that it is a very important issue where the welfare and safety of common people are concerned,” Gokhale said in his post.
He said the “failure” of municipal authorities to implement these laws and do their job cannot and should not become a reason for the judiciary to impose “cruel and inhumane directions”.
In his letter, Gokhale said the directions “fail to appreciate the practical impediments involved for the State to set up a large number of animal shelters within a short span of 8 weeks”.
“With the limited deadline given by the Hon’ble Court, it will be almost impossible for the authorities to set up shelters that can accommodate all stray dogs in the city of Delhi which will invariably lead to the creation of substandard infrastructure, endangering the lives of captured stray dogs”.
“Therefore, the unintentional consequence of these directions will be to consign all stray dogs in Delhi to a certain death in extremely inhumane conditions,” he said.
Gokhale also said the directions are “unreasonable with regards to taking an adversarial and hostile approach towards animal lovers and feeders”.
He also urged that the apex court should consider allowing intervention applications in the matter in order to allow stakeholders to participate and assist in the resolution of the issue taken up.
Hearing a suo motu case initiated on July 28 over stray dog bites leading to rabies in the national capital, the apex court on Monday directed authorities to remove all stray dogs from Delhi-NCR localities and put them in shelters, while saying the canines won’t return to the streets.
A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan passed a slew of directions and warned of strict action, including contempt proceedings, against anyone obstructing the process. PTI AO RT RT
