New Delhi: The Bar Council of India suspended advocate Rakesh Kishore from practice on Monday, hours after he tried to hurl his shoe at Chief Justice of India B R Gavai.
The lawyer, who is in his 70s, told the police that he was upset with the CJI over his recent remarks related to Khajuraho temples.
“He brought a paper as well in which he wrote ‘Sanatan dharma ka apmaan, nahi sahega Hindustan’ (India will not tolerate insult to Sanatan Dharma or Hinduism),” Hindustan Times quoted a police official as saying.
Kishore was interrogated for about three hours.
“No action has been taken against him as the SC (Supreme Court) office did not file any charges and asked for the lawyer to be released. His shoe and documents were also released,” police informed.
The unprecedented incident took place when a CJI-headed bench was hearing mentioning of cases by lawyers. Unfazed and unaffected by the attack on him within the Supreme Court, CJI Gavai asked the court to continue with the hearing.
The Khajuraho congtroversy
On September 16, CJI Gavai’s comments while hearing a plea related to Khajuraho temple trigerred a major controversy on social media.
Rejecting a plea seeking directions to reconstruct and reinstall a seven-foot idol of Lord Vishnu at the Javari Temple, part of UNESCO World Heritage Khajuraho temple complex in Madhya Pradesh, Justice Gavai had asked the petitioner to “ask the deity” to do something.
“This is purely publicity interest litigation. Go and ask the deity himself to do something. If you are saying that you are a strong devotee of Lord Vishnu, then you pray and do some meditation,” the CJI had said.
Several Hindu organisations and social media users expressed disappointment with Justice Gavai as his comments “mocked” their beliefs.
The CJI clarified that he respects all religions.
“Someone told me the other day that the comments I made have been portrayed on social media in a certain manner… I respect all religions,” the CJI said.