No space for street dogs as Delhi decks up for G20, alleges animal rights activists

Under the presidency of India, the prestigious G20 summit is currently underway in Delhi, with leaders like Joe Biden, Rishi Sunak, Mohammed Bin Salman, and Justin Trudeau among many other prominent faces from across the globe in attendance. However, videos that have surfaced on social media show the cruelty that has been meted out to the street dogs in Delhi during the preparatory drill ahead of the all-important G-20 summit.

The video compiled by 'People for Animals India' shows hundreds of street dogs being rounded up, trapped in nets, with their paws tied together, being piled up into ambulances that bore boards of ‘On Duty G20’, by workers carrying wires and nooses. As alleged by activists, this is an illegal drive undertaken by the authorities to rid the streets of the National Capital of stray dogs during the G20 summit. The activists say that this drive is a blatant violation of the Animal Welfare Board of India guidelines as well as the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001.

On August 2, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi had issued an order centering on removal and sterilization of stray dogs. It was done to remove dogs from the “vicinity of prominent locations in view of the G-20 summit." However, owing to massive backlash, the authorities were forced to withdraw such orders. This time around, the MCD did not link the removal of street dogs from the streets directly to the G 20 summit but stated that such drives are being carried out “only on an urgent need basis.”

Animal rights activists have called out the MCD authorities for the ‘inhumane’ way in which these drives are being carried out. "What India is doing is ironic given the theme of the G20 - one earth, one family, one future. It is hypocritical to talk of a shared future when we do not make room for our co-beings," said Ambika Shukla, trustee of People for Animals to Reuters.

Taking a jibe at the Union Government, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi condemned this ‘cleanliness drive’ and said, “GOI is hiding our poor people and animals. There is no need to hide India’s reality from our guests.” Taking to X, the Indian National Congress spoke of the ‘shocking cruelty inflicted upon innocent street dogs by the Modi government in preparation for the G20 summit.’ Sharing a video of dogs being piled up into vehicles in the most ‘inhumane way’, INC tweeted, “Watch this video to witness the shocking cruelty inflicted upon innocent street dogs by the Modi government in preparation for the G20 summit. Dogs are being dragged by their necks, beaten with sticks, and thrown into cages. They are being denied food and water, and they are being subjected to extreme stress & fear. It is imperative that we raise our voices against such appalling acts and demand justice for these voiceless victims.”

"All the dogs are safe and comfortable with necessary medical help available to them”, said MCD in a statement, assuring that these dogs that are being relocated to shelters will be brought back to their original spots, the timeline for which has not been specified for them.