Ritika Sajdeh, wife of India cricket star Rohit Sharma, has stepped into the heart of a raging debate — publicly condemning the Supreme Court’s order to clear Delhi-NCR’s streets of stray dogs, calling them 'a heartbeat, not a menace.'
On Instagram, Ritika painted a vivid picture of their daily presence: waiting outside tea stalls for biscuits, serving as silent night guards for shopkeepers, wagging tails to greet children after school, and offering warmth in an otherwise indifferent city.
'They call it a menace. We call it a heartbeat,' Ritika wrote. 'No sunlight. No freedom. No familiar faces they greet every morning. Caging an entire community of animals is not a solution — it’s an erasure.'
While acknowledging issues like dog bites and public safety, Ritika urged humane alternatives: large-scale sterilisation, vaccination drives, community feeding zones, and adoption campaigns. She concluded with a pointed warning: 'A society that can’t protect its voiceless is a society losing its soul. Today it’s the dogs. Tomorrow… who will it be?'
Her post drew an avalanche of responses. Supporters hailed her compassion and courage, while critics accused her of ignoring the risks stray dogs can pose — some going as far as hurling abuse and using derogatory language.
The court order and the social media storm have now placed India’s street dogs — and how the nation treats them — firmly in the spotlight.
© 2026