The second day of the Budget Session of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly turned into a political battleground on Wednesday as the issue of stray dogs sparked explosive remarks, emotional exchanges, and a near uproar inside the House.
What began as a 'Calling Attention' motion on rising dog bite cases quickly escalated into a fiery debate after senior BJP MLA Gopal Bhargava made a controversial statement that stunned both treasury and opposition benches. "When we are unable to provide adequate food to people, their breed should be eradicated, and they should be eliminated," Bhargava declared, referring to stray dogs.
The remark sent shockwaves across the Assembly, triggering sharp reactions from Congress MLAs and murmurs even within the ruling benches.
Raising the issue under Rule 138(1), Congress MLA Atif Aqeel painted a grim picture of Bhopal's streets. "The menace of stray dogs is continuously increasing. There is immense anger among residents. Women, children, and the elderly are being attacked daily," Aqeel said.
According to official data placed in the House, over 19,000 dog bite cases were reported in Bhopal in 2025 alone, with 40 to 50 bite incidents occurring every single day. Despite nearly Rs 2 crore spent on sterilisation and vaccination, the stray dog population remains unchecked.
Aqeel alleged that in several cases, victims did not receive timely anti-rabies treatment. Referring to a recent death at Hamidia Hospital, he said, "Deaths are occurring due to a lack of timely treatment and the unavailability of anti-rabies injections." Congress MLA Rajan Mandloi intensified the attack and said, "Supreme Court guidelines are not being followed. Sterilisations worth crores are being carried out only on paper." Referring to incidents in his constituency, he said, "Two girls were bitten by dogs in my area, Barwani. What compensation have they received?" adding, "Clarify the number of people who were given compensation. Rabies injections should also be tested to ensure they are not fake."
Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya rejected the charge that the situation was out of control. "A dog gets angry when it's hungry and doesn't get food. Our tradition is to give the first roti to a cow and the last roti to a dog," Vijayvargiya said, adding that aggression increases due to changing weather, breeding season, and food scarcity.
He insisted that 26,900 dogs have been vaccinated in the current financial year. 5,023 anti-rabies vaccine doses are available in Bhopal. 19 sterilisation centres are operational in 16 urban bodies across the state. The Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules-2023 are being implemented, under which dogs are sterilised and released back to their original habitat. Vijayvargiya also said a dedicated dog squad is active within the Municipal Corporation, and aggressive dogs are shifted to the shelter 'Aasra'. "It is incorrect to suggest that the administration has failed or that the city remains volatile," he said.
Provision should be made to give the first roti to a cow and the last roti to a dog. It is medically proven that dogs should be fed meat to provoke them," Vijayvargiya said.
The debate grew increasingly sharp as Congress MLAs accused the government of administrative failure. At one point, BJP MLA Umakant Sharma remarked that this was the first time he had heard dogs being described as "terrorists."
Congress MLA Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat took a swipe at Vijayvargiya, saying, "Kailash ji is the minister of dogs, and the minister in charge of dogs is not listening."
Former Speaker Sitasharan Sharma and BJP MLA Shailendra Jain also raised concerns over the alleged shortage of anti-rabies injections.
The situation spiralled into chaos when Aqeel alleged corruption in the name of dog control programs. A remark comparing the increasing dog population to the growing human population triggered loud protests, forcing the Speaker to intervene. The Speaker advised the government to take a serious decision in line with the Supreme Court directives.
But it was Bhargava's stark comparison that remained the highlight of the day. "The government is providing rations and facilities to 80 crore people in the country, while some people are spending up to Rs 1 lakh on dogs," he said. His suggestion that the "breed should be eradicated" drew immediate backlash from opposition benches, who called it extreme and insensitive.
Health Minister Rajendra Shukla intervened to dismiss allegations of vaccine scarcity. "There is no shortage of rabies injections," Shukla said, adding, "People go to the hospital after suffering from hydrophobia."
