• Source:JND
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71-Year-Old lawyer Rakesh Kishore, who attempted to throw a shoe at Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai inside the Supreme Court on Monday, has expressed no regret for his actions. In fact, Kishore said he was “ready to face jail” and claimed that a “divine force” compelled him to act, according to Hindustan Times.

Kishore, a resident of Mayur Vihar, made it clear that he had no political ties. Kishore had registered with the Bar Council of Delhi in 2009. According to police sources cited by Bar and Bench, he was found carrying membership cards for the Supreme Court Bar Association, Shahdara Bar Association, and the Bar Council of Delhi. He said his anger was directed solely at the CJI because of remarks Gavai made during a recent hearing about restoring a beheaded Lord Vishnu idol at the Javari temple in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh.

“It would have been better if I were in jail. My family is very unhappy with what I did. They are unable to understand,” Kishore shared.

He added, “I couldn’t sleep after that judgment,” referring to the Vishnu idol case.

“The almighty was asking me every night how I could rest after such an insult.”

Kishore also said his frustration grew after hearing about the CJI’s speech in Mauritius, where Gavai had said that “India’s legal system operates under the rule of law, not under the rule of bulldozer.”

The Delhi Police confirmed that Kishore was released after the Supreme Court registry chose not to press charges. He was questioned for three hours following the incident.

ALSO READ: Supreme Court Lawyer, Who Tried To Throw Shoe At CJI Gavai, Suspended By Bar Council Of India

CJI Attacked Inside Supreme Court

According to reports from news agency PTI, the attack happened while a bench led by the CJI and Justice K Vinod Chandran was hearing lawyers mention their cases. At that moment, Kishore suddenly approached the bench, removed his shoe, and attempted to throw it at the judges.

Security personnel acted quickly, preventing the shoe from hitting anyone. Kishore was immediately escorted out of the courtroom, shouting, “‘Sanatan ka apman nahi sahega Hindustan’ (India will not tolerate the disrespect of the Sanatana Dharma).”

Despite the disruption, CJI Gavai remained composed, reassuring the court by saying, “Don’t get distracted by all this. We are not distracted. These things do not affect me.”

The exact reasons behind Kishore’s act were not fully clear at the time.

ALSO READ: 'Assault On Constitution': Sonia Gandhi Slams Lawyer Who Tried To Throw Shoe At CJI Gavai

Background: The Vishnu Idol Controversy

The attack is linked to Kishore’s anger over CJI Gavai’s comments during a September hearing about the restoration of a seven-foot Lord Vishnu idol at the Javari temple, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Khajuraho temple complex in Madhya Pradesh.

The bench, headed by the CJI, rejected a plea demanding the reconstruction and reinstalling of the idol. Gavai called the plea a “publicity interest litigation” and remarked, “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.”

"It's an archaeological find, whether the ASI would permit such a thing to be done or not, there are various issues," the CJI said. The CJI added, "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."

After facing criticism online for these comments, the CJI later clarified that he respects “all religions.” The CJI said his comments on the Vishnu idol matter has been misportrayed. "Someone told me that the comments I made have been wrongly portrayed on social media. I respect all religions," the Live Law reported.