Blame Game Over Stray Dog Issue in Kerala: BJP and CPI(M) Point Fingers at Each Other

A blame game has erupted in the Indian state of Kerala over the issue of stray dog attacks following the recent death of an 11-year-old boy in Kannur, the hometown of Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The state’s Local Self Government, M.B. Rajesh, has criticised the media for targeting the government, commenting that the time has come to change present laws in relation to stray dogs in the state and stating that the government will soon approach the Kerala High Court. Opposition parties have attacked the government for failing to act. Congress accused the government of failing to recommence the state’s much-lauded Animal Birth Control programme for stray dogs, which came to a halt three years ago. Kerala MP Sivadasan of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) party said the problem of stray dogs in his state was down to a flawed policy of the Centre which needed to be revisited. Union Minister of State for External Affairs and BJP leader V. Muraleedharan commented on social media that a solution was available through the Animal Birth Control 2023 rules which the Centre had notified two months ago and which should be implemented by Local Self Governments.