NEW DELHI: Even as a heated debate has taken place over the Supreme Court ruling on the stray dogs to remove them from Delhi-NCR, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi slammed the order and said that it is a step back from decades of science, humane backed policy and said blanket removals are cruel, shortsighted and public safety and animal welfare go hand in hand. This is not the first time that Rahul Gandhi has shown love for the canines, but the same has also brought in the firing zone from his former party colleague Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Earlier last week, in a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said, “The Supreme Court’s directive to remove all stray dogs from Delhi-NCR is a step back from decades of humane, science-backed policy.” He said: “These voiceless souls are not ‘problems’ to be erased. 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,” he added.
The remarks from the Congress leader came after the Supreme Court on Monday ordered picking of all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR within eight weeks, directing that they be housed in dog shelters. The Supreme Court, hearing a suo motu case over dog bites in the national capital on Monday, directed that no stray canines will be released back. In a warning, the Supreme Court said, “If any person or organisation comes in way of picking up of stray dogs, action will be taken.” Rahul Gandhi in the month of August in 2023 had brought a twin canine from Goa. Rahul Gandhi after completing his private visit to Goa took with him a threemonth-old Jack Russell Terrier puppy.
Rahul Gandhi had taken the puppies from Shivani Pitre, who runs a dog kennel in Mapusa town in North Goa along with her husband Stanley Braganca. However, just two months later Rahul Gandhi gifted his mother Sonia Gandhi “Noorie”. He gave his mother a three-month-old Jack Russell Terrier puppy on World Animals Day, which he had brought from Goa. While gifting his mother Noorie, Rahul Gandhi had shared the video of the heartwarming moment on his YouTube channel. In the video he can be heard saying: “I made a quick visit to Goa to get Ma a new friend.” “There is one girl and one boy,” he said and then he turns up at his mother’s residence where he introduces the puppy to Sonia Gandhi.
Later in the video, Noorie can be seen running around the house, playing with several things and snuggling under a blanket. “I’d like you all to meet the newest and the cutest member of our family – our li’l pup, Noorie. She flew in from Goa straight into our arms and has become the light of our lives. Unconditional love and uncompromising loyalty – there is so much this beautiful animal can teach us!,” Rahul Gandhi captioned the video. Rahul Gandhi’s furry companion Pidi, who had been in news, has been with him for some years now and while no one knows when the Gandhi scion brought him. However, Pidi made a debut on the microblogging site X, formerly Twitter back in 2017 when the Congress leader had shared its video in a way to take a dig at BJP leaders and other detractors.
Rahul Gandhi had then taken to his X and wrote, “People been asking who tweets for this guy..I’m coming clean..it’s me..Pidi..I’m way 😎 than him. Look what I can do with a tweet..oops.. treat!” Rahul Gandhi’s furry friend has been the reason for some ‘hot and heavy’ political heat ever since the world learnt of its existence, especially from Assam CM and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma. Pidi became the bone of contention for Sarma as it stems from an incident that is often talked about in the political corridors that many say is the reason for him to quit Congress and join the BJP.
The incident, straight from the horse’s mouth, was also shared when Rahul Gandhi posted the aforementioned tweet introducing his dog. Sarma had then responded to Rahul Gandhi in a post on X on October 29, 2017 and said, “Sir @OfficeOfRG, (Rahul Gandhi’s old twitter handle name) who knows him better than me. Still remember you busy feeding biscuits 2 him while We wanted to discuss urgent Assam’s issues.” The incident of Rahul Gandhi feeding his dog had not been forgotten by Sarma as in 2022, he had again targeted the Congress leader.
Sarma slammed Rahul Gandhi on February 2, 2022 and said: “Those who prefer to feed biscuits to dogs in the presence of leaders from Assam and then offer them the same biscuits should be the last people to talk about political decency.” This time, however, Sarma brought up Pidi, when Rahul Gandhi highlighted that Amit Shah wore slippers despite asking a Manipuri delegation to remove their shoes inside his house. Rahul Gandhi and Sarma still target each other politically on several issues, but the stray dog issue has once again brought the Gandhi scion in the limelight highlighting his fondness for canines. However, besides Rahul Gandhi, his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, his aunt Maneka Gandhi and his cousin Varun Gandhi have also spoken against the Supreme Court order.
On August 14, a day after Chief Justice of India BR Gavai assured a relook at the two-judge bench order on moving all stray dogs in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) to shelter homes, the matter was transferred to be taken up by a larger bench. On the directions of Chief Justice Gavai, a three-judge bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria will take up the case.
The top court on August 14 reserved its order on pleas challenging its August 11 directive to round up all stray dogs from the capital’s streets and confine them in shelters within six to eight weeks, with a stipulation that they must never be released into public spaces again.
