‘Acted on divine instructions’: Lawyer who tried to hurl shoe at CJI Gavai
Rakesh Kishore remained defiant when asked if he regretted his actions or was prepared to face legal proceedings.
A day after attempting to hurl a shoe at Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R Gavai during a court proceeding, 71-year-old advocate Rakesh Kishore said he was “merely one of the foot soldiers of Sanatana Dharma” who acted on “divine instructions”, and expressed no regret for his actions.
Speaking to HT, Kishore said, “There are several followers of Sanatana Dharma and I am one of the foot soldiers who was directed to carry out this act on the instructions of the divine powers.”
While Kishore did not name any individual who purportedly directed him, he claimed there was widespread resentment among Sanatana Dharma followers over the CJI’s recent orders. “I do not have anything personal against CJI Gavai. I am simply trying to protect what is sacred to me and which hurts me as a follower,” he said.
Kishore, however, remained defiant when asked if he regretted his actions or was prepared to face legal proceedings.
“The CJI refused to press criminal charges against me, which is his prerogative. I am adamant in my views… This action was based on a collective decision which hurt the whole community,” he said, adding that he did not believe he had done anything wrong.
Kishore also brushed aside his suspension by the Bar Council of India (BCI), which had immediately barred him from practice following the incident. “These things don’t matter as long as I am able to satisfy the divine power that guided me through the incident,” he said.
According to Delhi Police, Kishore, a temporary member of the Supreme Court Bar Association and a member of the Shahdara Bar Association, was upset over the CJI’s remarks during a recent hearing concerning the restoration of a beheaded Lord Vishnu idol at the Javari temple in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh.
Last month, a bench led by CJI Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran had declined to entertain a petition filed by one Rakesh Dalal, observing that the matter fell under the jurisdiction of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The CJI’s oral remarks during that hearing had later sparked social media outrage, prompting him to clarify in open court on September 18 that his comments were misconstrued and that he respected all religions.
The incident inside Court No.1 on Monday unfolded during the mention of cases when Kishore approached the dais, attempted to remove his shoe, and was swiftly restrained by security personnel. As he was escorted out, he shouted, “Sanatan ka apman nahi sahenge” (We will not tolerate any insult to Sanatan).
The CJI, unfazed, asked those present to continue with the day’s proceedings. “Don’t get distracted by all this. We are not distracted. These things do not affect me,” he said. Later, when court staff sought instructions, the CJI told them to “just ignore” the incident and not press charges, following which Kishore was detained, questioned for several hours, and released.
On Tuesday, several members of the Aam Aadmi Party, led by former MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj, held a protest outside Kishore’s Mayur Vihar residence, condemning the attack on the CJI. The Delhi Police barricaded the entry gates of his apartment complex to maintain order.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condemned the incident, and said, “The attack on him...has angered every Indian. There is no place for such reprehensible acts in our society. I appreciated the calm displayed by Justice Gavai in the face of such a situation.”
Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi also denounced the breach, calling it “an assault” not just on CJI “but on our Constitution as well”.
The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) have also berated Kishore’s conduct, calling it “unbecoming of a member of the Bar” and an “assault on the mutual respect that sustains the relationship between the Bench and the Bar.”
