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Protests in Chennai over Supreme Court order on relocating stray dogs in Delhi
Protests have been ongoing since Supreme Court directed authorities to remove all stray dogs from Delhi NCR within eight weeks.
Animal rights activists and dog lovers took to the streets in Chennai to stage a protest on Sunday, days after the Supreme Court ordered the stray dogs in Delhi-NCR to be moved to shelters within eight weeks.
Protests in Chennai followed similar demonstrations seen in the national capital previously. Protestors were seen holding placards that read ‘Save Delhi Dogs’ and ‘Their Lives Matter’, with pictures of stray dogs on. People taking part in the protests were also seen holding some dogs and puppies in their arms.
On Saturday evening, people gathered near India Gate against the SC’s order. Earlier, on Friday, Delhi Police registered four FIRs in connection with the protest held without prior permission on August 11 and 12 in New Delhi, reported ANI.
According to the police, demonstrations were organised despite prohibitory orders imposed under Section 163 of BNS (formerly known as Section 144), which was in force due to the security measures ahead of Independence Day.
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Police officials also claimed that the protest turned unruly when police tried to disperse the demonstrators. "Those who refused to leave the protest sites despite repeated requests were detained. Legal action will be taken against all those found violating the law," the Delhi Police said.
Protests have been ongoing since August 11, when the Supreme Court directed authorities to ensure that all localities in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad are free of stray dogs. The court had ruled that captured animals should not be released back onto the streets.
Following this, a three-judge bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria reserved its order on petitions seeking a stay on the directive. The bench said it would pass an interim order after hearing arguments from all sides.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing from the side of the Delhi government, said that there is a “loud vocal minority” opposing the order, while the “silent suffering majority” are supporting it. He said that people eat chicken and then claim to be animal lovers.
He said that children were dying and sterilisation did not stop rabies, “even if you immunised them, that did not stop mutilation of children," Mehta added further.
Meanwhile, Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the NGO, questioned whether municipal authorities had created enough shelter homes for the dogs. "Now, dogs are picked up. But the order says once they are sterilised, do not leave them out in the community," he argued, seeking a stay on the August 11 order.
The bench observed that the core problem was the failure of local bodies to implement the Animal Birth Control Rules. Justice Nath remarked, "Rules and laws are framed by the Parliament, but they are not followed. Local authorities are not doing what they should be doing.”
In a detailed order, the court clarifies that the August 11 decision was not taken on a "momentary impulse" but after two decades of authorities failing to address a matter directly affecting public safety.
