New Delhi: Veterinarians led an agitation across the country on June 23 alleging that Bharatiya Janata party MP and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi had verbally abused an Agra vet, accused him of botching a surgery on a dog and threatened to get his licence scrapped.The protests by the Indian Veterinary Association (IVA) came afteran audio clip surfaced on social media in which Gandhi is purportedly heard asking vet N.L. Gupta to return the money he has taken from a client after performing surgery.The voice in the audio clip could not be independently confirmed to have belonged to Gandhi. The vet alleged that the call was from the Sitapur MP.During the course of the purported conversation, Gandhi allegedly used expletives in Hindi at the doctor.The MP is reportedly heard saying that another vet to which the dog was taken after the sutures came undone had called the original surgery a “shoddy job.” She also reportedly questioned Gupta’s qualification to carry out surgeries.She reportedly gave him the option of returning his fees or having his licence suspended and that she will get in touch with police and the district magistrate.Gandhi is also reportedly heard warning him that he should not perform any more surgeries. The vet reportedly said that the sutures ruptured because the dog was hyperactive.Vets protest against Maneka Gandhi’s allegedly abusive phone call to an Agra vet. Photo: Twitter/@atulspratap“I got a call from Member of Parliament Maneka Gandhi on June 21 regarding the surgery of the dog. I was shocked when she asked me to pay a compensation of Rs 70,000 to the owner of the dog or else she would get my license cancelled,” Gupta told PTI.“Besides, she insulted my profession, my father and my eligibility and used abusive language,” he alleged.Gupta said he had informed the dog owner about the post-operative care, but the animal was not looked after properly.Recently, in another audio clip that surfaced on social media, Gandhi was purportedly heard telling a police officer in Sitapur to register a case and slap a man for breaking a dog’s leg.Meanwhile, Chief Veterinary Doctor, V.S. Tomar, said, “Investigation is being done as to whether the doctor has a valid degree and his clinic has proper amenities as well.”Dr A.K. Doneria, the member of the IVA and former Chief Veterinary Officer in Agra told PTI, “A doctor gives his best and cannot do injustice with any patient. We condemn the incident that happened with the veterinarian doctor in Agra.”The association has also written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and BJP president JP Nadda on the issue and urged them to take cognisance of the remarks, which it said, damages the reputation of the saffron party.(With PTI inputs)