New Delhi: In a shocking breach of decorum, a 71-year-old lawyer hurled a shoe at Chief Justice of India B R Gavai during proceedings in the Supreme Court premises on Monday, prompting swift and unified denunciations from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. The incident, which authorities linked to a note bearing the slogan “Sanatan dharma ka apmaan nahi sahega Hindustan” (India will not tolerate insults to Sanatan Dharma), has been widely decried as an intolerable assault on judicial dignity.
Prime Minister Modi, in a statement posted on X, expressed that he had personally reached out to the Chief Justice following the attack, which he said has “angered every Indian.” He lauded Gavai’s composure under duress, noting it as a testament to his dedication to justice and the foundational principles of the Constitution. “There is no place for such reprehensible acts in our society. It is utterly condemnable,” Modi emphasized.
Kharge labeled the episode as “unprecedented, shameful and abhorrent,” framing it as a direct affront to the judiciary’s stature and the rule of law. He highlighted Gavai’s ascent to the nation’s top judicial post through sheer merit, integrity, and resilience, arguing that such targeting carries a chilling implication. “It reflects an attempt to intimidate and humiliate a man who has broken social barriers to uphold the Constitution. Such mindless act shows how hate, fanaticism and bigotry has engulfed our society in the past decade,” Kharge stated.
Sonia Gandhi echoed the sentiment, declaring that “no words are adequate” to capture the gravity of the assault, which she described as not only a personal attack on Gavai but also an infringement on the Constitution itself. She praised the Chief Justice’s grace in response and called for national solidarity, urging citizens to rally with shared anguish and indignation.
The backlash extended across political lines. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin pointed to the assailant’s stated motive as evidence of lingering “oppressive and hierarchical mindsets” in society, advocating for a culture of respect toward institutions and measured behavior. NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar warned of a rising trend to erode constitutional bodies, observing that the “poison being spread in our country now refuses to respect even the highest constitutional institutions. This is a warning bell for the nation.”
CPI(M) General Secretary M A Baby attributed the event to the “poison of casteism and communal hate” propagated by Hindutva forces, which he said has emboldened assaults on a Dalit judge like Gavai. “This Manuvadi mindset must be exposed, resisted and defeated,” he asserted. Similarly, CPI General Secretary D Raja viewed it as a broader provocation to the judiciary, pressuring it to conform to right-wing dictates over constitutional mandates. “It is clear from the utterances of the assailant which ideology drives such hate. The communal and casteist poison spread by the right-wing has reached a stage where even the CJI, a Dalit judge, is openly targeted. This mindset must be exposed, isolated, and defeated for the sake of justice in society,” Raja added.
The lawyer, identified as Rakesh Kishore, faces legal repercussions as investigations proceed. This rare act of aggression within the hallowed halls of the Supreme Court has ignited a chorus of alarm, underscoring the fragility of democratic norms amid deepening societal divides.