A few days ago, a major controversy erupted over stray dogs following a ruling by the Supreme Court of India, which angered animal lovers and was later revised. Against this backdrop, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent comments have sparked fresh debate. Speaking at an event at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on Saturday, Modi said he had recently met some animal lovers, prompting laughter from the audience. Reacting to the laughter, Modi sarcastically remarked that while many claim to be animal lovers, most of them consider only dogs as animals and do not see cows as animals. His comments drew laughter from the audience and from Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Culture, who was also present.
Modi Emphasizes Equal Treatment of All Animals, Cites Cow Protection Efforts
Modi’s comments, which have now gone viral, have stirred criticism from some animal lovers who accused him of mocking their concerns. However, others argued that Modi intended to highlight the double standards in treating dogs and cows differently, urging people to see all animals equally. Observers noted that Modi indirectly suggested that the term “animal” should not be limited to stray or pet dogs but applies to all creatures. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) consider the cow a sacred animal, and since Modi came to power, his government has launched several cow protection initiatives, including the creation of the Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog in 2019.
Supreme Court of India Revises Stray Dog Ruling After Backlash
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of India’s earlier ruling on stray dogs had triggered a storm of protests from animal rights activists. On September 11, the court had ordered that stray dogs be shifted to shelters, but after widespread backlash, it modified the order. The court now says only dogs infected with Rabies should be taken to shelters, while others should be sterilized and then released. It also directed that special feeding zones be set up for stray dogs in all municipal wards and warned that strict action would be taken against anyone obstructing officials from controlling the stray dog population. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was instructed to allow animal lovers to apply for adopting stray dogs if they wish.