Latest news with #TheGreatCatMassacreandOtherEpisodesinFrenchCulturalHistory
Economic Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
Why Maneka Gandhi says Delhi- NCR could face 1880s Paris-style problems if stray dogs are removed
Synopsis The Supreme Court's order to relocate stray dogs from Delhi-NCR to shelters has sparked controversy, with animal rights activists like Maneka Gandhi raising concerns about the order's practicality and potential ecological consequences. Gandhi warns that removing dogs could lead to an increase in rodents, drawing parallels to historical events like the rat infestation in 1880s Paris after dog removal. The Supreme Court's directive to remove all stray dogs from Delhi-NCR streets and place them in shelters has triggered a heated debate over whether the move is realistic or wise. On Monday, the court ordered the immediate removal of all stray dogs from public spaces in Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, and the decision, former Union minister and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi criticised the order, calling it 'impractical', 'financially unviable' and 'potentially harmful' to the region's ecological warned of unintended consequences, saying that removing strays could create new problems. 'Within 48 hours, three lakh dogs will come from Ghaziabad, Faridabad, because there's food here in Delhi. And once you remove the dogs, monkeys will come on the ground... I've seen this happen at my own house.'Recalling a historical example, Gandhi referred to 1880s Paris: 'When they removed dogs and cats, the city was overrun with rats,' she said, describing dogs as 'rodent control animals'.In the late 19th century, stray dogs roamed Paris in large numbers and were often seen as dangerous transmitters of rabies, fleas, and filth. The city administration considered them a threat to cleanliness, public health, and safety. In the 1880s, a large-scale removal, and in some cases slaughter, of dogs was carried out in an attempt to curb rabies and make the French capital more 'modern' and safe. While the historical record on cats is less clear for this period, it is believed that removing dogs caused an unexpected spike in the city's rat population, as the animals had been an important natural check on in Stray Dogs and the Making of Modern Paris notes that in 1883, pharmacist Emile Capron appealed for the removal of stray dogs, arguing they scared horses and caused accidents. However, there is no definitive evidence of a simultaneous large-scale killing of idea of a 'cat massacre' in Paris has its own separate history. Historian Robert Darnton wrote about a grim incident in his 1984 book The Great Cat Massacre and Other Episodes in French Cultural History. This was based on an event from the 1730s, when a group of printing press apprentices in Paris tortured and killed cats in protest against their working conditions. According to History Today, the episode was part of a strange blend of cruelty, social commentary, and dark humour that reflected the tensions of the time. Inputs from agencies
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Why Maneka Gandhi says Delhi- NCR could face 1880s Paris-style problems if stray dogs are removed
The Supreme Court 's directive to remove all stray dogs from Delhi-NCR streets and place them in shelters has triggered a heated debate over whether the move is realistic or wise. On Monday, the court ordered the immediate removal of all stray dogs from public spaces in Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, and Ghaziabad. Following the decision, former Union minister and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi criticised the order, calling it 'impractical', 'financially unviable' and 'potentially harmful' to the region's ecological balance. Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 4 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 3 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals By Vaibhav Sisinity View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 2 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass Batch-1 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program She warned of unintended consequences, saying that removing strays could create new problems. 'Within 48 hours, three lakh dogs will come from Ghaziabad, Faridabad, because there's food here in Delhi. And once you remove the dogs, monkeys will come on the ground... I've seen this happen at my own house.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Mountain Gear for Extreme Conditions Trek Kit India Learn More Undo Recalling a historical example, Gandhi referred to 1880s Paris: 'When they removed dogs and cats, the city was overrun with rats,' she said, describing dogs as 'rodent control animals'. What exactly happened in Paris in the 1880s? In the late 19th century, stray dogs roamed Paris in large numbers and were often seen as dangerous transmitters of rabies, fleas, and filth. The city administration considered them a threat to cleanliness, public health, and safety. Live Events In the 1880s, a large-scale removal, and in some cases slaughter, of dogs was carried out in an attempt to curb rabies and make the French capital more 'modern' and safe. While the historical record on cats is less clear for this period, it is believed that removing dogs caused an unexpected spike in the city's rat population, as the animals had been an important natural check on rodents. Research in Stray Dogs and the Making of Modern Paris notes that in 1883, pharmacist Emile Capron appealed for the removal of stray dogs, arguing they scared horses and caused accidents. However, there is no definitive evidence of a simultaneous large-scale killing of cats. The idea of a 'cat massacre' in Paris has its own separate history. Historian Robert Darnton wrote about a grim incident in his 1984 book The Great Cat Massacre and Other Episodes in French Cultural History. This was based on an event from the 1730s, when a group of printing press apprentices in Paris tortured and killed cats in protest against their working conditions. According to History Today, the episode was part of a strange blend of cruelty, social commentary, and dark humour that reflected the tensions of the time. Inputs from agencies
NDTV
4 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"When Paris Killed Dogs": Maneka Gandhi's History Lesson After Court Order
New Delhi: The Supreme Court's directive to remove all stray dogs from Delhi-NCR streets and house them in shelters has led to a heated debate over the feasibility and practicality of the idea. The top court on Monday ordered the immediate removal of all stray dogs from public spaces in Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, and Ghaziabad. Following the decision, former Union minister and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi criticised the order and called it "impractical", "financially unviable" and "potentially harmful" to the region's ecological balance. Ms Gandhi warned of unintended consequences, adding that removing strays could create new problems. "Within 48 hours, three lakh dogs will come from Ghaziabad, Faridabad, because there's food here in Delhi. And once you remove the dogs, monkeys will come on the ground... I've seen this happen at my own house." Referring to 1880s Paris, the BJP leader said, "When they removed dogs and cats, the city was overrun with rats," calling dogs "rodent control animals". What exactly happened in the 1880s? Dogs were seen as dangerous transmitters of rabies, fleas, and dirt in the 1800s. They roamed the streets of Paris in large numbers. The Paris administration viewed stray dogs as a threat to cleanliness, health, and safety. A large-scale slaughter of dogs and cats was allegedly carried out in the 1880s to control diseases like rabies in the city. The move was aimed at making the French capital more modern and safe. But the lack of animals on the streets is believed to have caused a quick surge in the number of rats in the city, spreading from sewers and alleys to people's homes. During the Siege of Paris (1870-1871), food shortages forced Parisians to resort to eating rats, cats, dogs, and other zoo animals. According to a research paper titled 'Stray Dogs And The Making of Modern Paris', there were efforts to control canines in the city due to concerns of rabies in 1883. But there is no mention of the killing of cats at the same time. A pharmacist named Emile Capron appealed to remove stray dogs from the streets. These dogs used to scare the horses at the time, resulting in accidents. Historian Robert Darnton wrote about a cat massacre in Paris in his 1984 book 'The Great Cat Massacre and Other Episodes in French Cultural History', but this incident was from 1730, involving printing press workers killing cats in Paris. As per a report, 'The Great Cat Massacre in the 1730s', in History Today, a group of printing apprentices tortured and killed cats.
