During a Supreme Court hearing on cases related to stray dogs, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the government, backed the court’s order to relocate canines from the streets of Delhi-NCR. He argued that there is a “vocal minority” of animal lovers whose views overshadow the “silent suffering majority.”
Arguments and Statistics
Mehta, who was speaking during the hearing before a new bench led by Justice Vikram Nath, made a pointed comment about those who claim to be animal lovers. He said, “I have seen people posting videos of eating meat and then claiming to be animal lovers.”
He presented alarming statistics to highlight the public safety concerns, stating that there were 3.7 million dog bites a year—about 10,000 per day. Citing World Health Organization (WHO) data, he also noted that there were 305 rabies deaths in the same year, with the actual number likely much higher.
Background of the Case
The hearing follows a suo motu directive issued by the Supreme Court on August 11, which ordered the removal of all stray dogs from Delhi-NCR streets within eight weeks. The directive instructed authorities to create shelters for the dogs and prohibited their release back onto the streets. It also warned that action would be taken against any person or organization that obstructs the process.
The earlier order was met with public outcry, leading Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R Gavai to withdraw the case from the original bench and assign it to a new one. The Solicitor General reiterated that the issue prevents people from sending their children outside to play and that the solution is not in the existing rules but requires a firm judicial solution.
