Our Bureau
New Delhi
After the huge backlash they received over their last decision ordering the removal of dogs from the streets of Delhi NCR, the Supreme Court this Friday, on August 22nd, has reviewed and modified its judgement. The Court has stated that the strays will not be removed permanently but will be released back in the same area after sterilisation and immunisation. Only those won’t be returned that are infected with “rabies or exhibiting aggressive behaviour”.
This new modification of the decision was welcomed with open arms by the former Union Minister and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi. Although she was happy with the verdict, Gandhi urged the top court of the country to define the terms on which a dog will be characterised as aggressive.
“We will try for a verdict defining who aggressive dogs are. Per the law, a committee is formed on the matter, and that defines what kind of behaviour is categorised as aggressive,” Gandhi explained.
The leader from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) highlighted that there are a lot of people that are not dog-friendly. They might exploit the clause in the judgement to label any dog they want as aggressive just so they can confine the canine. She also stated that a lot of dogs get aggressive when they are removed from their surroundings so if they are dropped back to their localities they won’t bite.
“In case you fall on the dog and it bites you, but there was no such incident before or after that, so would the dog be categorised as aggressive, or would you be at fault. A judgment on this will come in eight weeks. If the dog is taken from my society for immunisation and sterilisation, and left back in my society, it won’t bite,” she said.
