The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed displeasure over former Union minister Maneka Gandhi’s remarks criticising apex court orders in the stray dog issue, stating that she has committed contempt of court. |
Mumbai: Former union minister and veteran animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi issued a strong appeal for unity among animal welfare activists and organisations across India after the Supreme Court refused to modify its directive regarding the removal and relocation of stray dogs from public institutions. She urged the community to bypass panic, ground themselves in the law and actively counter the wave of online misinformation surrounding the apex court’s decision. Supreme Court ruling anxietyThe Supreme Court’s refusal to alter its November 2025 ruling – which mandates relocating stray dogs from sensitive public spaces such as schools, hospitals, and railway stations to designated shelters – has left many grassroots caretakers anxious about the immediate safety of community animals. Acknowledging these anxieties, Gandhi emphasised that the survival of India’s animal welfare movement historically hinges on collective action rather than isolated efforts.”The recent Supreme Court proceedings on community dogs have created concern among animal caregivers across the country. At such times, it is important not to react with panic or emotion, but with unity, clarity, and organisation,” stated Gandhi, who is the founder of People For Animals.
Roadmap for local intervention
The veteran activist outlined a roadmap to strengthen local intervention. She called for establishing rapid response teams to create institutionalised, local networks at the colony, district, and city levels to handle emergencies. She also asked activists for lawful interventions to ensure all animal protection steps are executed peacefully and strictly within the framework of existing legislation and maintain transparent records of community dogs, feeding schedules, and health metrics to present clear facts to local administrations. A core focus of Gandhi’s address was the rising tide of digital misinformation. Following major legal rulings on stray animals, social media platforms frequently see a surge in out-of-context videos, edited clips, and altered media designed to stoke hostility between residents and animal caregivers. Gandhi categorically instructed the activist community to act as a frontline defense against fake news, stressing that fighting rumors with accurate legal data and scientific facts is the only way to retain public institutional trust.
Systemic bottleneck in ABC rulesThe ongoing legal debate underscores a major systemic bottleneck in India about the execution of Animal Birth Control (ABC) rules. While the Supreme Court highlighted the harsh ground reality of rising dog-bite incidents, Gandhi and other prominent activists point out that civic bodies have largely failed to build the necessary infrastructure over the last six months.Gandhi warned against letting the court’s tough stance divide the movement. Instead, she framed the crisis as a turning point requiring unprecedented operational discipline. “This is not the time to become divided or discouraged. Real change is built by people who continue to show up, protect, document, rescue, and stand firm even in difficult moments. Stay united. Stay informed. Stay active on the ground,” she concluded.