Overview

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the remark at the Gyan Bharatam conference in Vigyan Bhawan, where he also unveiled a portal to digitise and preserve manuscripts.
• News outlets framed the comment as a pointed observation on selective animal concern, contrasting treatment of cows with debates over street dogs.
• Audience members laughed at the line and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was seen chuckling as a clip spread widely on social media.
• The controversy follows an initial Supreme Court directive to remove and permanently relocate Delhi’s stray dogs, citing increases in dog bites and rabies cases.
• After public outcry, the Chief Justice reassigned the case to a three-judge bench that modified the order to allow vaccinated and dewormed dogs to be returned to their original areas.