Rahul Trivedi

ਮਾਣਯੋਗ ਸੁਪਰੀਮ ਕੋਰਟ ਦੇ ਫ਼ੈਸਲੇ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਕੱਲ ਤੋਂ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ ਕਰੇਗੀ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਅਤੇ ਰਾਹਗੀਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਜਾਨ ਨੂੰ ਖ਼ਤਰਾ ਬਣੇ ਅਵਾਰਾ ਅਤੇ ਜਾਨਲੇਵਾ ਕੁੱਤਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਖਤਮ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਵੱਡੀ ਮੁਹਿੰਮ..ਧੰਨਵਾਦ ਸੁਪਰੀਮ ਕੋਰਟ…

ਮਾਣਯੋਗ ਸੁਪਰੀਮ ਕੋਰਟ ਦੇ ਫ਼ੈਸਲੇ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਕੱਲ ਤੋਂ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ ਕਰੇਗੀ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਅਤੇ ਰਾਹਗੀਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਜਾਨ ਨੂੰ ਖ਼ਤਰਾ ਬਣੇ ਅਵਾਰਾ ਅਤੇ ਜਾਨਲੇਵਾ ਕੁੱਤਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਖਤਮ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਵੱਡੀ ਮੁਹਿੰਮ..ਧੰਨਵਾਦ ਸੁਪਰੀਮ ਕੋਰਟ…

ਮਾਣਯੋਗ ਸੁਪਰੀਮ ਕੋਰਟ ਦੇ ਫ਼ੈਸਲੇ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਕੱਲ ਤੋਂ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ ਕਰੇਗੀ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਅਤੇ ਰਾਹਗੀਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਜਾਨ ਨੂੰ ਖ਼ਤਰਾ ਬਣੇ ਅਵਾਰਾ ਅਤੇ ਜਾਨਲੇਵਾ ਕੁੱਤਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਖਤਮ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਵੱਡੀ ਮੁਹਿੰਮ..ਧੰਨਵਾਦ ਸੁਪਰੀਮ ਕੋਰਟ…

Yesterday - being Bhairav Ashtami - I visited the Bhairav Temple adjacent to the Purana Qila and just across the Supreme Court. Lord Bhairav, the fierce protector form of Lord Shiva is deeply connected to dogs : his dog Shivan always depicted in iconography is his 'Vahan' or mount and represents loyalty and protection. I prayed, first, on this auspicious day for forgiveness for failing to argue a brief in the stray dog case as I had a prior commitment on the last day fixed for such hearings. But mainly I prayed to the deity that notwithstanding the public menace posed by the recent increase in stray dog attacks, Lord Bhairav may bestow upon the Bench the wisdom to arrive at a solution that curbs the menace while also reflecting empathy and compassion for those who cannot speak.

But perhaps I’m being hard on myself. There was a battery of high quality lawyers - including some among the best- who had already addressed the court on all issues arising in the case. Then again while the proceedings should have been non-adversarial, it became needlessly rancorous. Particularly unfortunate was the assertion of those representing the government, in a reference to those championing the cause of stray dogs that non-vegetarians were posing as animal lovers! Firstly on a parity of reasoning should those who smoke cigarettes or chew tobacco desist from holding briefs on any lis pertaining to public health? Secondly a govt committed to Hindutva principles cannot be unaware that the Pandavas ate meat and during their 12-year Vanvas hunted and ate deer. Yet as the final book of the Mahabharat records Yudhishthira, the only Pandava to reach heaven alive, was accompanied on his long journey to heaven by a stray dog. It is said that while Bhagwan Indra welcomed him to heaven, refused to let the stray enter. The eldest Pandava thereupon decided to abjure heaven without his loyal stray upon which Indra praised him for his loyalty and righteousness and welcomed both to heaven. The stray dog himself transformed to the Lord of Dharma and also praised Yudhishthir. In short, stray dogs signify Dharma and cruelty to them is Adharma.