'If dogs are removed, monkeys will come, ' Maneka Gandhi opposed the Supreme Court's decision on street dogs.

On Monday, animal rights activist and former Union minister Maneka Gandhi strongly criticised the Supreme Court's order on stray dogs in Delhi-NCR. She called it impractical and harmful to the ecological balance of the region.

Maneka Gandhi said that the implementation of this order will cost around Rs 15,000 crore. Does Delhi have that much money for this? She also questioned the validity of the decision and said that just a month ago, a different bench of the Supreme Court had given a balanced verdict on the same issue.

PETA also expressed concern

She also said that within 48 hours, three lakh dogs will come from Ghaziabad and Faridabad because there is food in Delhi. As soon as you remove the dogs, monkeys will come onto the ground... She has seen this happening in her house. Around 1880, when dogs and cats were removed from Paris, the city was filled with rats. She called dogs the controller of rodent animals.

Dr Mini Aravindan, senior director at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, said, "Evacuating dogs and putting them in shelters has never worked. Instead, the government should strengthen sterilisation and vaccination programmes, shut down illegal pet shops and breeders, and encourage adoption."

Alokparna Sengupta, managing director of Humane World for Animals India, said long-term strategies like promoting animal birth control programmes are scientifically proven solutions.