**Incident in Supreme Court: Attempted Attack on Chief Justice B. R. Gavai Condemned Across the Spectrum**
An unfortunate and condemnable incident unfolded today in the Supreme Court, where an individual attempted to throw a shoe at Chief Justice of India (CJI) B. R. Gavai during court proceedings. The act has drawn widespread condemnation from legal experts, politicians, and social commentators, highlighting concerns about misinformation, hate speech, and respect for India’s highest constitutional institutions.
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**Solicitor General Tushar Mehta Speaks Out**
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta described the incident as “unfortunate and condemnable,” linking it to misinformation circulating on social media and an apparent bid for cheap publicity.
“Today’s incident in the Chief Justice’s court is unfortunate and deserves condemnation. It is the result of misinformation on social media. It is really heartening that the Chief Justice of India reacted with magnanimity. I only hope that this magnanimity is not treated by others as the weakness of the institution,” Mehta remarked.
He added that he has personally witnessed the Chief Justice visiting religious places of all faiths with reverence and noted that the CJI has already clarified his position. Commenting on the assailant’s motives, Mehta said, “It is not understood what prompted one miscreant to do what he did today. It appears to be an act of some attention seeker wanting cheap publicity.”
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**Senior Advocate Indira Jaising Calls for Investigation**
Senior advocate Indira Jaising called the incident “an attack on the institution as a whole.” Though not an eyewitness, she based her opinion on media reports and stressed the need for a thorough investigation.
“I consider it to be an attack on the institution as a whole, not just the Chief Justice. I do consider it to be a casteist remark against the Chief Justice. It requires a legal response from the Supreme Court of India,” Jaising stated.
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**Political Leaders Voice Strong Condemnation**
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar weighed in, emphasizing the gravity of the attack:
“An attempt to attack the Chief Justice in the highest institution of justice is not merely an assault on the judiciary, but a grave insult to our democracy, our Constitution, and our nation itself. The poison being spread in our country now refuses to respect even the highest constitutional institutions. This is a warning bell for the nation. I strongly condemn this incident and assure that I will remain committed to ensuring that the pillars of Indian democracy are never weakened under any circumstances.”
Congress Member of Parliament Manickam Tagore described the assault as the consequence of decades of hatred. Writing on X (formerly Twitter), he said:
“Shocking scenes in the Supreme Court today — someone tried to throw an object at CJI B. R. Gavai during proceedings. Amid the chaos, the Chief Justice remained calm, dignified, and completely unshaken. That’s true leadership. CJI Gavai’s composure reflects the strength of India’s judiciary standing tall even as hate tries to shake our institutions.
“But let’s be honest — this is not just one person’s madness. This is the result of 100 years of RSS hate poison corroding minds and weakening respect for institutions. When hate becomes normal, justice becomes dangerous. Time for India to choose calm over chaos, humanity over hate.”
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**BJP and Shiv Sena Reactions**
BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia asserted:
“The courtroom of the Hon’ble Chief Justice is not just four walls — it is the sanctum sanctorum of our democracy. The attempted attack on Hon’ble CJI B. R. Gavai in the Supreme Court is an unacceptable assault on the sanctity of the judiciary and the rule of law. Such acts of violence, regardless of motive, are a direct threat to our democracy. This must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.”
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut linked the attack to ideological politics, stating:
“The attempt to attack Chief Justice Bhushan Gavai in the Supreme Court is a direct attack on Dr. Ambedkar and the Constitution. The assailant is a fake Hindutvawadi — this is a creation of the BJP’s training centres,” Raut wrote on X.
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**Details of the Incident**
According to lawyers present in the courtroom, the incident happened during hearings by a bench comprising CJI Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran. A lawyer identified as Rakesh Kishor, a resident of Mayur Vihar, approached the dais, removed his shoe, and tried to throw it towards the judges.
Alert security personnel immediately intervened and prevented the attack. Kishor was swiftly escorted out of the court premises. While being taken away, he was heard shouting “Sanatan ka apman nahi sahenge” (“will not tolerate insults to Sanatan Dharma”).
Despite the chaos, the Chief Justice remained unfazed and continued hearing cases. Addressing the lawyers, he said calmly, “Don’t get distracted by all this. We are not distracted. These things do not affect me.”
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**Ongoing Investigation and Possible Motive**
The police are coordinating with the Registrar General of the Supreme Court and investigating the case further. While the motive remains unconfirmed, preliminary reports suggest the incident may be connected to Kishor’s discontent over remarks made by the CJI last month during a hearing on a plea seeking the reinstallation of a Vishnu idol at Khajuraho’s Javari temple.
At that time, the Chief Justice had dismissed the plea, terming it “publicity interest litigation,” and later clarified that he respected all religions.
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The incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by India’s judiciary amid an increasingly polarized socio-political climate. The resilience and composure demonstrated by the Chief Justice has been widely praised, reinforcing public confidence in the judiciary’s strength and integrity.
https://www.mid-day.com/news/india-news/article/lawyer-attempts-to-hurl-shoe-at-cji-br-gavai-political-leaders-solicitor-general-lawyers-condemn-incident-23597458