Protest at India Gate, police detain activists

Protesters urged the court to focus on sterilisation drives, regulating breeders, and creating infrastructure for stray care instead of what they called a “blanket eviction” of street dogs.

Hundreds of protesters gathered at India Gate on Monday to oppose the Supreme Court’s order directing that all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR be sent to shelters within eight weeks. Demonstrators, including animal rights activists, rescuers, caregivers and dog lovers, warned the move would lead to authorities dumping dogs outside Delhi, not solving the issue.

Activists protesting against the SC’s order outside the India Gate on Monday. (HT Photo)

Delhi Police detained several protesters during the candlelight gathering. Officers said the detainees were released later.

“We are not allowed to protest. We just came here with a candle and the police are not even letting us stand peacefully,” said Tarini, a participant, giving just one name.

Protesters urged the court to focus on sterilisation drives, regulating breeders, and creating infrastructure for stray care instead of what they called a “blanket eviction” of street dogs.

Tanya, a resident of Anand Lok, who too gave only one name, said there were no shelter homes to house thousands of dogs.

“We want the dogs to be safe. They have no shelter homes to accommodate so many dogs. The authorities have failed their duties in neutering them, all the sterilisation is being done by the feeders themselves,” she added

Others criticised the order for ignoring pet breeding. “People are breeding Siberian Huskies in Delhi’s hot, humid weather. There’s no regulation against them. They are acting only against stray dogs because they have no collective voice,” one protester said.

DCP (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla did not respond to HT’s calls and messages.

Other senior officers said the protest started around 7pm at India Gate but the protesters, a large crowd, moved towards the main road. “They were impacting law and order arrangements. They had no permission and we suggested that they move to Jantar Mantar but they did not. So, around 50-70 people were removed from the site. Some were detained while others were released there only.” said an officer.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) spokesperson Anish Gawande said the police didn’t let the protesters raise their issue . “People were protesting peacefully here. Police should not have used force against these people,” he said.