New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) Citizen's group India Unites for Animal Rights on Thursday termed false BJP leader Vijay Goel's allegations that the guests of a seminar organised by it at the Constitution Club here gate-crashed a discussion held by him on dog bite incidents.

In a statement on Wednesday, the former Union minister alleged that people attending the meeting on Animal Birth Control Rules had forced their way into the seminar hall and created a ruckus.

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Countering his allegations, India Unites for Animal Rights said it had organised a session titled 'Peaceful Co-Existence: As Simple As ABC' at the Deputy Speaker's Hall of the Constitution Club on May 10. The session was aimed at discussing the new Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules recently notified by the government.

"It was addressed by eminent jurist Justice J R Midha and senior legal luminaries. The programme was attended by an audience of some 200 lawyers, teachers, actors, professionals and social activists, including Romi Dev," it said.

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The three-hour session, filmed throughout, started at 3 pm, the group said.

"We, the organisers, are shocked to hear allegations that our attendees 'gate crashed' an adjoining event. This is a completely false allegation. Our entire event was filmed from beginning to end and no such thing took place," it added.

The group said it had been told that an adjoining event organised by Vijay Goel was billed as a discussion forum to which all were invited.

"In that case there can be no 'gate crashing'. An open discussion by its very nature invites all points of view and provides a platform for differing opinions where there is always a chance of friction," it said.

In contrast, the session on the newly notified Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023 was peaceful, disciplined, positive and productive, it added.

"We are appalled that anyone should make false allegations against a group of well-intentioned citizens gathering to try and gain attention and misplaced sympathy and expect an apology," it said.

Goel said in the statement that he had organised a seminar to discuss a solution to the issue of stray dogs biting people but "so-called" animal lovers disrupted it. He added that he had booked the Speaker's Hall for the seminar but people of the Constitution Club informed him that MP Maneka Gandhi had booked the Deputy Speaker's Hall at the same time.

The BJP leader said one woman even climbed on the stage and spoke directly on the mike. "There was uproar in the whole meeting. The police had to intervene to handle the situation," he added.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Pranav Tayal earlier said a woman entered the hall where the event was organised and disrupted the proceedings.

"A minor altercation took place with another woman in which both slapped each other. Police intervened and both were escorted out of the premises. No complaint has been given by either side in the matter," he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)