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Lawyers and judges will be the first to tell you – the legal profession can be akin to a dog’s life (Before anyone – bound to be many – raises hackles, this is an expression to say law is a difficult and taxing profession, always subjected to brickbats from one or the other side.)
The judges of the Supreme Court do not reach that position puffing bidis over maskabun & chai in Irani cafes. They collectively represent the wisdom and knowledge and learning and an understanding of Indian society and psyche that has escaped most of us, being far beyond our grasp and abilities. Their rulings reflect not just the Constitution but also a sense of natural justice based on logic, reasoning and a vision for betterment of society.
So I dare say – if we are not as competent this august body sworn to serve for the betterment of India and in the process doing a good job of it – inspite of all the impediments by various self centred sections of society and politics – step aside.
Having stray domestic animals of any sort roaming freely within urban areas is absolutely not acceptable to the public nor permitted by law in any developed country, so why should aspiring India be any different?
People who live in London or Napean Sea Road or Janpath (Bandra and 7 Bungalows don’t count) and do not contribute personally or physically to care for even a single stray are not competent to voice concerns when these strays have become physical and health threats to the vulnerable elderly and innocent young school going children who daily have to negotiate narrow roads and lanes lined with garbage and overflowing gutters and packs of these surly, hungry and unpredictable animals. On foot, not chauffered SUVs.
Stray dogs live and litter roads and are a public nuisance and a health and physical threat. They live on scraps and refuse and in filth. So called animal rights activists don’t bother one bit about the harsh conditions these dogs live in. But talk of animal shelters and they come out expressing great concern.
As for suggestions to sterilize, fine. And what does one do with these dogs after they have been sterilized and inoculated? Leave them back on the roads fit to savage the vulnerable young and elderly? So next step to make them safe: Why not also de-fang them? And treat them with special medicines prior to release that make them docile and huggable? (I will let slide the costs involved in all this.)
Best to sterilize and inoculate them; then release them into the wild, in jungles. They are wily, street smart animals so let them fend for themselves in forests. Our endangered and starving panthers and leopards will welcome a change in diet. As a corollary, attacks on domestic cattle and humans will reduce. As a bonus, the herbivores like the dainty chital will also be grateful for diversion of feline attention. Adequate food for the big cats will ensure they multiply and emerge from the endangered status – a big plus for genuine animal lovers.
Lastly, culling of overly dense populations of wolves, bears, deer, beavers, foxes, other pests and predators is routine in many culturally evolved and economically better developed countries worldwide. People protest there too but that does not deter not paralyse the authorities nor dilute their convictions. In comparison, stray dogs are not even on that list of endangered animals. A tiger or a leopard that kills a few people who stray into his backyard are put down. But not these stray, mostly diseased parasites in their millions?
We certainly do not need a few million stray dogs on the streets of India. That’s for sure. All stray dog lovers (a distinct category from animal and dog lovers) who don’t want wild dogs in pounds or left in jungles had better get them off the streets, at your cost and on your time.
Walk the talk, or step aside.
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint.