Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala on Thursday called union minister Maneka Gandhi a "hypocrite" for opposing the killing of stray dogs in Kerala.
"Maneka Gandhi is a hypocrite. Who does she think she is? Even the Chief Minister is not spared. Who gave her all this authority? This is in no way acceptable," Chennithala told the assembly.
Chennithala spoke after question hour, highlighting the menace of stray dogs in the state.
On Wednesday, there was uproar after Gandhi -- also an animal rights activist -- said the Kerala Anti-Social (Prevention) Act (KAPA) should be used against those who kill stray dogs and those who instigate people to kill them.
Media reports say a 90-year-old man succumbed to his injuries when stray dogs attacked him while he was sleeping in the veranda of his house at Varkala in Thiruvananthapuram district.
This is the fifth death in Kerala this year following a stray dog attack. In August, a 65-year-old woman was mauled to death near Kovalam, a popular tourist destination south of the capital city.