Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday strongly condemned the shoe attack on Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai inside the Supreme Court premises, calling the incident “utterly condemnable” and saying it “has angered every Indian.”
In a post on X, Modi said he had spoken to Justice Gavai and commended him for remaining calm in the face of the provocation. “Spoke to Chief Justice of India, Justice BR Gavai Ji. The attack on him earlier today in the Supreme Court premises has angered every Indian. There is no place for such reprehensible acts in our society. It is utterly condemnable. I appreciated the calm displayed by Justice Gavai in the face of such a situation. It highlights his commitment to values of justice and strengthening the spirit of our Constitution,” Modi wrote.
The incident occurred when a bench led by CJI Gavai was hearing the mentioning of cases by lawyers. According to officials, 71-year-old lawyer Rakesh Kishore approached the dais, removed his shoe, and attempted to hurl it at the judge. Security personnel intervened immediately, preventing the attack and escorting him from the courtroom. As he was taken away, Kishore was heard shouting, “Sanatan ka apman nahi sahenge” (We will not tolerate any insult to Sanatan).
Political and Legal Fraternity Reacts
Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi condemned the attack, calling it “an assault not just on him but on our Constitution as well,” and urged the nation to stand “unitedly with a deep sense of anguish and outrage” in solidarity with the CJI.
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi described the act as “an assault on the dignity of our judiciary and the spirit of our Constitution,” stressing that such hatred has no place in the country.
Senior lawyer and former union law minister Kapil Sibal also criticised the act, terming it “uncivilised behaviour” and urging that it be “publicly condemned by one and all” as an affront to the court’s majesty.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court Bar Association has suspended the lawyer’s licence to practice, with leaders from across the political spectrum joining in to denounce the incident.
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