MCD election 2022: AAP promises cow shelters, campaign for street dogs' adoption, monkey rehabilitation

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal had earlier this month launched the party's 10 guarantees for the December 4 MCD polls and one of them pertained to freeing Delhi's streets of the menace of stray animals.  

If elected to power in the MCD, the Aam Aadmi Party plans to take a number of actions, including creating shelters for cows, launching an adoption drive for stray dogs, and rehabilitating monkeys in their natural environment. One of the 10 promises made by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) earlier this month was to rid Delhi's streets of the threat posed by stray animals in advance of the MCD elections on December 4.

According to the party's top spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj, they would launch a campaign called "Be Indian, Adopt Indian" to encourage people to adopt Indian-breed dogs.

"We will support the costs associated with raising stray dogs and urge NGOs to adopt pets from the streets. Additionally, individuals would be urged to acquire Indian breeds," he said, during a news conference. The MLA for Greater Kailash stated that the monkey menace is a significant problem.

"Monkeys are a nuisance in practically every neighbourhood in South Delhi. They enter bathing tanks to take a bath, invade homes to steal food from the refrigerator, and even assault young children. If we win the MCD election, we'll make sure they're returned to their native environment. Asola is one such natural ecosystem," he explained.

He then discussed how stray cows may frequently be observed beside landfills munching trash. "There isn't a place for them. They must be fed green fodder, thus we will build up gowshalas equipped with sophisticated equipment to ensure their well-being," he added.

Meanwhile, in relation to the poll ticket bribery issue, the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) questioned party MLA Akhilesh Pati Tripathi on Thursday. Tuesday saw the arrest of Tripathi's brother-in-law and two of his accomplices after they were accused of requesting a payment of Rs 90 lakh to guarantee an AAP worker's wife a seat in the municipal elections.

(With PTI Inputs)