Stray Dog Row Rocks MP Assembly

• Stray dog issue triggers heated debate in MP Assembly
• BJP MLA’s remark on “eradicating breed” sparks outrage
• Congress cites rising bite cases, alleges poor treatment access
• Government denies failure, says vaccination and sterilisation underway

GG News Bureau
Bhopal, 18th Feb: The second day of the Budget Session of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly turned stormy as a debate over stray dog attacks escalated into sharp exchanges and controversial remarks inside the House.

The uproar began during a Calling Attention motion on rising dog bite cases when senior BJP MLA Gopal Bhargava made a remark suggesting that stray dogs should be eliminated, triggering strong reactions from the opposition and murmurs within the ruling benches.

Raising the issue under Rule 138(1), Congress MLA Atif Aqeel said the menace of stray dogs was increasing in Bhopal, with women, children, and the elderly facing frequent attacks. According to official data presented in the Assembly, more than 19,000 dog bite cases were reported in the city in 2025, with 40 to 50 incidents occurring daily.

Aqeel alleged that despite nearly ₹2 crore spent on sterilisation and vaccination, the stray dog population remained uncontrolled. He also claimed that some victims did not receive timely anti-rabies treatment and referred to a recent death at Hamidia Hospital.

Congress MLA Rajan Mandloi said Supreme Court guidelines were not being followed and questioned compensation for victims. He also raised concerns over the quality of rabies injections.

Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya rejected the charge that the situation was out of control. He said 26,900 dogs had been vaccinated in the current financial year and that 5,023 anti-rabies doses were available in Bhopal. He added that 19 sterilisation centres were operational in 16 urban bodies across the state under the Animal Birth Control Rules, with aggressive dogs shifted to shelters.

Vijayvargiya said dog aggression often increases during breeding seasons and due to food scarcity, and insisted the administration was taking necessary steps to manage the issue.

The debate intensified as Congress MLAs accused the government of administrative failure. BJP MLA Umakant Sharma remarked that it was the first time he had heard dogs being described as “terrorists,” while Congress MLA Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat took a swipe at the minister.

Health Minister Rajendra Shukla later intervened, saying there was no shortage of anti-rabies injections and dismissing concerns raised by the opposition.

The Speaker eventually stepped in to calm the House and advised the government to take serious decisions in line with Supreme Court directives. However, Bhargava’s controversial statement remained the focal point of the day’s proceedings.