A recent episode of Vijay TV’s popular debate show Neeya Naana centered on the contentious issue of stray dogs has unleashed a massive storm on social media, sharply dividing users into factions of ‘dog lovers’ and ‘dog haters’ and sparking a fierce online war of words.
The debate comes at a time when the stray dogs issue has become a national topic of debate over the Supreme Court ruling. While one group wanted the stray dogs should be sent to shelters after sterilisation, animal protection bodies forced removal of dogs would create “chaos and suffering” for both the animals and residents.
It was against this charged backdrop that ‘Neeya Naana’, moderated by host Gopinath, brought together two opposing groups: passionate dog lovers and individuals who have been victimized by stray dogs. The “dog lovers'” side, which included actress Ammu and guest speaker Badava Gopi, advocated for the care and protection of these animals.
However, the discussion quickly became heated. Host Gopinath firmly intervened, emphasizing that human lives must be prioritized, a stance that drew both praise and criticism. The episode’s intensity was captured in the social media trend ‘#NayaNaana’ (a pun on the show’s name, with ‘Nai’ meaning dog).
The controversy escalated post-telecast when actress Ammu took to social media, alleging that the show was unfairly edited. She claimed that of the 8-hour shoot, only a 45-minute segment was aired, which misrepresented her arguments.
Furthermore, she faced intense backlash for a comment, reportedly made during the show, questioning parental supervision: “Why are you watching your children get bitten? What are the parents doing?” A clip of her howling like a dog during the taping, initially released as a promotional video by the channel and later deleted, went viral, with netizens widely sharing it to mock her stance.
The debate has drawn reactions from several other public figures. News anchor and social media personality Panimalar Panneerselvam released a video stating, “The ‘Neeya Naana’ episode has exposed that these so-called ‘dog lovers’ can be more dangerous than the stray dogs themselves. Even those with allergies or a fear of dogs might turn into ‘dog haters’ after listening to their arguments.” While professing to be a dog lover herself, she unequivocally stated, “If I have to choose between a child and a dog, I will always choose the child.”
Netizens Reaction
One user on X wrote: “Rich people protesting for safety of stray dogs don’t deal with issues like dog bites. Only poor & middle-class people walking the streets get attacked by #straydogs. Note: These elites always stay silent on caste discrimination & human rights abuses. #StrayDogsMenace #NeeyaNaana.”
Another netizen commented, “The #NeeyaNaana debate on stray dogs made one thing clear: those opposing dogs on the streets spoke with reason, backed by data and lived experiences of fear, bites and harassment. In contrast, the pro-stray side relied only on emotional appeals with no scientific or logical basis, asking the public to just “adjust.”
Where To Watch The Episode Online?
As the episode became a hot topic of debate, many netizens are now eager to watch the debate. Well, people can follow to watch it online.
However, those with subscription to the app can only watch the episode.