Chief Justice Gavai Dismisses Shoe Attack Incident as "Forgotten Chapter" Amid Religious Controversy

Justice Gavai characterized the incident as a "forgotten incident".

New Delhi:

Chief Justice of India BR Gavai on Thursday broke his silence regarding the recent attempted shoe attack against him in the Supreme Court, describing it as a "forgotten chapter." This statement came two days after the unprecedented incident occurred.

Speaking during open court proceedings, Chief Justice Gavai stated: "My learned brother and I were very shocked with what happened on Monday... for us it is a forgotten chapter." The Chief Justice, who was sitting alongside Justice Ujjal Bhuyan during the day's proceedings, offered no additional comments on the matter.

Justice Bhuyan, however, shared his perspective, noting: "I have my own views on this. He is the Chief Justice of India - it's not a matter of joke. As judges over the years, we will do a lot of things which others may not think are justifiable, but that does not change our opinion about what we did."

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was present during the session, condemned the attack, calling it "unpardonable." He added that the CJI's "majesty and magnanimity" in considering the incident closed was "commendable."

The incident occurred Monday morning as Chief Justice Gavai began hearing the day's first case in Court No 1. According to eyewitness accounts, an elderly lawyer identified as Rakesh Kishore, who used a proximity card issued to Supreme Court advocates, suddenly removed his shoe and threw it toward the bench while shouting, "Sanatan ka apmaan nahi sahenge" - "We will not tolerate insults to Sanatan Dharma."

The shoe failed to reach the bench. Security personnel immediately apprehended the man and escorted him from the courtroom as silence fell over the proceedings.

Throughout the disruption, Chief Justice Gavai maintained his composure and continued with the court proceedings. "I am the last person to be affected by such things," he remarked, instructing his staff: "Don't get distracted by all this. We are not distracted. These things do not affect me."

The Supreme Court did not file a formal complaint regarding the incident. Reports indicate the CJI instructed the registry not to pursue punitive measures against the individual. Nevertheless, Delhi Police questioned Kishore for several hours within the court premises before releasing him. His shoes were subsequently returned.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi contacted the Chief Justice later that evening and denounced the act as "utterly condemnable."

"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," the Prime Minister stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

"It highlights his commitment to the values of justice and strengthening the spirit of our Constitution," he further added.

Within hours of the incident, the Bar Council of India (BCI) suspended Advocate Rakesh Kishore, describing his actions as "inconsistent with the dignity of the court."

In a strongly worded directive, the Council stated: "On the basis of prima facie material, it appears that at about 11.35 am on 6 October 2025, in Court No. 1 of the Supreme Court of India, you, i.e. Advocate Rakesh Kishore, enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi, removed your sports shoes and attempted to hurl them towards the Hon'ble Chief Justice of India during ongoing proceedings."

The BCI has prohibited Kishore from "appearing, acting, pleading and practising in any court, tribunal or authority in India," and issued a show-cause notice asking why the suspension should not be made permanent.

The attempted attack occurred amid controversy surrounding remarks made by the Chief Justice last month during a hearing concerning the restoration of a beheaded idol of Lord Vishnu at the UNESCO-listed Khajuraho temple complex in Madhya Pradesh.

When a petitioner requested Supreme Court intervention to reconstruct and reinstall the idol, the Chief Justice reportedly commented, "Go and ask the deity himself to do something. If you are saying you are a strong devotee of Lord Vishnu, then you pray and do some meditation."

These remarks triggered outrage on social media, with some accusing the Chief Justice of disrespecting religious faith.

Days later, Chief Justice Gavai clarified his position, stating, "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."

Referring to the online backlash, Solicitor General Mehta observed, "We used to know Newton's Law - every action has an equal reaction - but now every action has a disproportionate social media reaction."