Jaipur: Animal activists in Jaipur are set to join a pan-India rally on Jan 4, the last Sunday before the Supreme Court’s hearing on the issue of stray dogs. Activists are planning to hold their rally at the city’s iconic Albert Hall.“The next date for the Supreme Court hearing is Jan 7. Animal activists across the country are holding a pan-India rally on Jan 4. We have plans to hold the rally at the Albert Hall,” stated Santana Khurana, an animal activist based in Jaipur.The planned rally is in protest against a Supreme Court direction on Nov 7 to all states and Union Territories to remove stray dogs from premises of educational institutions, hospitals, sports complexes, bus stands and depots, and railway stations, and relocate them “to a designated shelter” after due sterilisation and vaccination in accordance with Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, framed under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.The order created furore across the country, with several animal activists terming it as a “sweeping order passed without hearing all parties”.“We will protest against the order. In addition, we have plans to collect signatures of like-minded people that can later be submitted to the court along with petitions from other cities across the country,” stated an organizer.The organizers said they would ask the Jaipur police commissionarate’s permission for their Jan 4 rally.
