An advocate attempted to throw a shoe at the Chief Justice of India, BR Gavai, during a hearing in the Supreme Court on Monday, reportedly in protest against his recent "go ask your deity" remark.
The advocate shouted some slogans in the courtroom, after which the security personnel escorted him outside. This interrupted the proceedings, but the session was resumed in a while.
CJI Gavai made the remark while he was hearing a plea demanding the reconstruction of Lord Vishnu's idol in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh.
According to some lawyers present in the courtroom, the man who was dressed in a lawyer's robe shouted, "Sanatan Dharm ka apmaan nahi sahega Hindustaan (India will not tolerate disrespect of Sanatan Dharma)." While some witnesses say that he tried to throw a shoe, others claim that he was seen hurling a paper.
Amid all this, the CJI seemed to be unfazed. He reacted, "Don't get distracted by all this. We are not distracted. These things do not affect me."
About the CJI's "Go ask your deity" remarkLast month, the Supreme Court had dismissed a plea seeking the reconstruction and reinstallation of a seven-foot idol of Lord Vishnu at the Javari Temple, which is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Khajuraho temple complex in Madhya Pradesh.
The two-judge bench led by Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran called it a "Publicity Interest Litigation". It refused to entertain the plea that was filed by Rakesh Dalal, who demanded the replacement and consecration of the damaged idol at the Javari temple in Chhatarpur.
The CJI stated, "This is purely a publicity interest litigation...Go and ask the deity himself to do something. If you are saying you are a true devotee of Lod Vishnu, then you pray and do some meditation."
The counsel representing the petitioner had said that the head of Lord Vishnu's idol was ramshackled. He also urged the Supreme Court to intervene and allow the reconstruction of the idol.
The bench stated that the issue squarely fell under the jurisdiction of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). He said, "It's an archaeological find, whether ASI would permit such a thing to be done or not...there are various issues."
Adding, "In the meantime, if you are not averse to Shaivism, you can go and worship there...there is a very big linga of Shiva, one of the biggest in Khajuraho."