Lawyer tries to throw shoe at CJI Gavai in Supreme Court amid ‘Sanatan’ row

Guwahati: A shocking scene unfolded in the Supreme Court on Monday when a lawyer attempted to remove his shoe and hurl it at Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R. Gavai during court proceedings.

The incident took place during the routine mentioning of cases before the CJI’s bench.

According to eyewitnesses, the lawyer suddenly approached the dais before security personnel quickly intervened and escorted him out of the courtroom.

As he was being removed, the lawyer shouted, “Sanatan ka apman nahi sahenge” (“We will not tolerate any insult to Sanatan”). The man was later identified as Rakesh Kishore, sources confirmed.
Unperturbed by the commotion, CJI Gavai maintained his composure and directed the proceedings to continue. “Don’t get distracted by all this. We are not distracted. These things do not affect me,” he said, urging the lawyers to proceed with the day’s work.

The disruption comes in the wake of a controversy over the CJI’s remarks during a hearing last month. A bench comprising CJI Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran had declined to hear a plea seeking the restoration of a seven-foot beheaded idol of Lord Vishnu at the Javari temple, part of the Khajuraho group of monuments in Madhya Pradesh.

The petitioner, Rakesh Dalal, had argued that the idol was damaged during Mughal invasions and that authorities had failed to restore it.

The court ruled that the matter was under the purview of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), not the judiciary. During that hearing, the CJI reportedly remarked: “Go and ask the deity itself to do something now. You say you are a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu. So go and pray now.”

The comment sparked outrage on social media, with some alleging that it disrespected religious sentiments. On September 18, CJI Gavai clarified his stance in open court, stating that his remarks had been misconstrued. “I respect all religions and never intended to hurt anyone’s faith,” he said.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, referring to the controversy, had warned of the growing dangers of misinformation online. “Every action now has a disproportionate social media reaction,” he observed. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal added, “We suffer every day. This is an unruly horse and there appears to be no way to tame it.”