Bhubaneswar: RSS leader Mohan Bhagwat emphasized on Thursday that every animal deserves the right to live, suggesting that the issue of stray dogs in Delhi should be addressed through population control rather than relocating them to shelters.

Bhagwat, who holds a degree in veterinary science, made these remarks in light of a Supreme Court ruling directing authorities in Delhi-NCR to permanently move stray dogs off the streets and into shelters.

"The solution lies in managing the population of street dogs, not in confining them to shelters," he stated during a religious gathering at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack.

He illustrated his point by mentioning how Indians traditionally milk cows, taking some for themselves while leaving enough for the calf, highlighting the importance of balance between humans and nature.

"We must conserve nature by finding a balance between development and environmental preservation," he added.

Following the event in Cuttack, Bhagwat traveled to Puri to meet Shankaracharya Nischalananda Saraswati and visit the Shree Jagannath temple.

The RSS chief arrived in the city on Wednesday evening and spent the night at the Utkal Bipanna Sahayata Samiti office located in the Mancheswar area.