In Madhya Pradesh's Khandwa, a man staged an unusual protest over the city's stray dog problem by arriving at a public grievance hearing at the Collectorate wearing a dog costume. His appearance surprised officials and locals, and the protest quickly drew a crowd, with several people recording the moment on their phones.
The man did not make any statement himself. He was present alongside Khandwa Municipal Corporation Leader of Opposition Deepak Rathore, who raised concerns over the growing number of stray dogs as well as alleged irregularities in the civic body's dog sterilisation programme.
Protester highlights stray dog problem
The unusual demonstration was aimed at drawing attention to the presence of stray dogs on streets and in residential areas. The issue has reportedly caused concern among residents, particularly over problems faced by children and pedestrians.
Speaking about the matter, Rathore alleged that corruption had taken place in the name of dog sterilisation in Khandwa.
"In Khandwa corruption has taken place in the name of sterilization, in the name of dog sterilization," Rathore said.
He said the matter had been raised at the Collector's public hearing, where an application was submitted against the Khandwa Municipal Corporation. Rathore also referred to the man who had come from Delhi to highlight the issue as "our Doggy brother".
"To expose that corruption, our Doggy brother had to come from Delhi," he said.
Rathore further alleged that the municipal corporation had issued a bill of Rs 40 lakh in the name of dog sterilisation. He said the application submitted at the Collector's public hearing sought attention to the alleged irregularities surrounding the sterilisation programme.
Internet reacts to the unusual protest
The unusual appearance also caught the attention of social media users, with several people reacting to the decision to stage the protest in a dog costume.
"Brother, that's quite a unique way to protest," one user commented.
"Yes, this is the right way," another wrote.
"Madhya Pradesh and its unique protests," a third user remarked.
Others appeared amused by the unusual sight, with one calling it a "creative way to draw attention to an issue". Another said the protest was certainly "hard to ignore", while a user joked that the costume had ensured that everyone at the hearing noticed the message.
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