New Delhi: Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai on Thursday broke his silence over the shoe attack incident inside the Supreme Court, saying he and his colleague were “very shocked” but had chosen to move on.
“My learned brother and I were very shocked with what happened on Monday… For us, it is a forgotten chapter,” CJI Gavai said during a courtroom exchange, referring to the attack that drew widespread public outrage earlier this week.
Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, who shared the bench with the CJI, strongly denounced the act, calling it an affront to the institution. “He is the Chief Justice of India; it’s not a matter of joke! I am not apologetic thereafter; it’s an affront to the institution,” Justice Bhuyan said, indicating his disagreement with the CJI’s decision not to pursue legal action against the offender.
The incident occurred inside Court No. 1 on Monday when Rakesh Kishore, a 71-year-old lawyer, approached the dais during case mentions and attempted to remove his shoe. He was swiftly restrained by security staff and escorted out while shouting, “Sanatan ka apmaan nahi sahenge” (We will not tolerate any insult to Sanatan).
CJI Gavai, maintaining composure, instructed those present not to be distracted. “Don’t get distracted by all this. These things do not affect me,” he remarked, before asking the court staff to “ignore the incident” and not press charges. Kishore was later detained by Delhi Police, questioned for several hours, and released.
Police sources said Kishore, a temporary member of the Supreme Court Bar Association and the Shahdara Bar Association, was reportedly upset over the CJI’s earlier observations in a case related to the restoration of a beheaded Lord Vishnu idol at the Javari temple in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh.
In a later interview, Kishore described himself as “one of the foot soldiers of Sanatana Dharma” acting under “divine instructions,” expressing no remorse for his actions. He was suspended by the Bar Council of India (BCI) following the incident.
The attack triggered widespread condemnation from across the political spectrum. Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally spoke to CJI Gavai on the day of the incident, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and several others also condemned the act. In Maharashtra’s Thane, Ambedkarite organisations held protests, calling it “an insult to the judiciary and an assault on constitutional values.”
