In a rare moment of consensus, members of the Gandhi family – often divided politically since the early 1980s – have come together to welcome the Supreme Court’s revised ruling on stray dogs in Delhi-NCR.

On Friday, the Supreme Court modified its earlier order, directing that stray dogs must be released back to the same locality after vaccination and deworming. Dogs infected with rabies or showing aggressive behaviour, however, will have to be kept in designated shelters. The court also expanded the scope of the case nationwide, announcing that it would formulate a national policy on the matter.

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“Prohibition on release of strays shall be stayed. They should be dewormed, vaccinated and sent back to the same area,” the Supreme Court said, drawing cheers from animal rights activists.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi welcomed the order, calling it “a progressive step toward balancing animal welfare and public safety”. “The approach is both compassionate and rooted in scientific reasoning,” he said. Earlier, he had criticised the previous directive for being “cruel, shortsighted, and stripping us of compassion”.

Former Union minister and prominent animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi, who had strongly opposed the earlier order, said she was “very happy with this scientific judgement”.

She stressed that relocation and fear are “the primary reasons dogs bite” and underlined the need to clearly define what qualifies as an aggressive dog. Gandhi also highlighted that the ruling would apply nationwide and called on civic bodies to set up proper Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres. “For the first time in 25 years, the government stated in Parliament that it is allocating Rs 2,500 crores for this program,” she added.

Former MP Varun Gandhi also lauded the verdict. In a post on X, he wrote, “Today, we must show immense gratitude to the Supreme Court. In displaying its capacity for self-correction, it has shown sagacity, sensitivity, and true large-heartedness. To everyone who raised their voice for the voiceless: give yourself a huge hug. You are amazing.”

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too had raised concerns about the earlier order, warning that moving all stray dogs to shelters “is going to result in horrendously inhumane treatment of them”. Calling dogs “the most beautiful, gentle creatures,” she said there must be “a humane way” to ensure both public safety and animal welfare.

The Gandhi family’s joint opposition to the previous ruling marked a rare alignment across political divides. Maneka Gandhi, who parted ways with Indira Gandhi in 1982 and later joined the BJP, had sharply criticised the earlier directive as “impractical” and “financially unviable”. She argued that removing three lakh dogs from Delhi streets would cost “about Rs 15,000 crore” and warned of ecological imbalances.

Varun Gandhi had also termed the earlier order the “institutionalisation of cruelty” and questioned its moral underpinnings.

With Friday’s revised ruling, however, the family – across party lines – has voiced relief over the verdict on managing India’s stray dog population.

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Published By: Anuja Jha Published On: Aug 22, 2025