NCP's Anish Gawande Manhandled, Detained At Delhi NCR Protest Against SC Stray Dog Removal; Tells CM Rekha Gupta 'Oppose Or Resign'

New Delhi: Protests against the Supreme Court’s recent order to remove stray dogs from Delhi-NCR took a tense turn on Wednesday, August 13, as animal lovers and activists gathered across the capital demanding a rollback of the decision. Among them was Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) spokesperson Anish Gawande, who was detained by police during a peaceful protest.

Videos circulating on social media showed Gawande being forcibly held and manhandled by officers as he resisted. He was later taken to the Tughlaqabad police station.

Here are some visuals from the scene:

Taking to Instagram stories, Gawande assured his followers that he was "safe and fine," shortly after the police released him.

"Today, the Delhi Police mercilessly beat up 2 of my friends at a protest at Lodhi Road. I was also beaten up for no reason. I am now safe. They have been released after being hit with lathis by 5 cops. But this is unacceptable in the national capital,' he wrote in a separate post on X.

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta Blamed

In another Instagram story, Gawande squarely blamed Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta for the situation, calling the stray dog removal her “pet project.” He demanded she either publicly declare the decision unworkable or resign, alleging that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi was “working on her orders.”

“The Supreme Court will hear review petitions tomorrow… Either she publicly opposes this decision and says it is unworkable – or she resigns,” he wrote.

Supreme Court to Hear Plea Challenging Removal Order

On Wednesday, August 13, Chief Justice of India BR Gavai said he would urgently review a plea contesting the removal order, after an advocate questioned its legality and its consistency with earlier judgments.

The case, set to be heard by Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N V Anjaria, claims that a blanket removal would lead to “large-scale cruelty to animals,” be impractical, and fail to curb rabies-related deaths. It instead calls for implementing provisions under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023.

The directive, passed in a suo motu case launched on 28 July in response to rising bite cases, also instructs authorities to expand existing shelters to accommodate relocated dogs. Supporters see it as a strong public safety measure, but critics fear it could facilitate mass culling under the guise of relocation.