Bengaluru/New Delhi, Oct 6 (IANS) Union Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Pralhad Joshi has strongly condemned the attack on the Chief Justice of India. Reacting to the episode, he stated, “The attack on Supreme Court Chief Justice B.R. Gavai is intolerable. Such an act is inexcusable in our society and under the Constitution. Despite being attacked, Justice Gavai displayed calm and harmony. This has further enhanced the dignity of the judiciary.”

Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara taking to X, condemned the incidnet. “I strongly condemn the incident where an advocate threw a shoe at the Honorable Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, B.R. Gavai. This act of throwing a shoe at a judge is a grave insult to the country’s judicial system and the Constitution,” he said.

Justice B.R. Gavai, who hails from a marginalized community, has risen through the ranks by attaining higher education and now holds one of the most respected positions in the country. The religious fanatics of the so-called Sanatan culture have exposed their vile mindset within the premises of the Supreme Court, he said.

Parameshwara underlined, “Judges are the protectors of our country’s democratic system and Constitution. By throwing a shoe at a judge, the advocate has insulted the entire judicial system. I strongly urge that strict legal action be taken against the lawyer involved, and the dignity of the judiciary be upheld.”

Minister for RDPR, IT and BT Priyank Kharge stated, “Today, the proponents of ‘Manuvad’ have hurled a shoe at none other than the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. This is not merely an attack on an individual, but an attack on justice itself, an attack on the Constitution.

There is no need to explicitly name who encourages such a mentality of ‘Manuvad’. This is not just a shoe attack, but a terroristic assault on the values of the Constitution by the fundamentalists of ‘Manuvad’, Kharge charged.

This incident is yet another example of the intolerance that ‘Manuvadis’ harbour against the Constitution, and of the continued oppression of the oppressed, even when one of them has risen to the country’s highest constitutional position. Today, we have received direct proof of our fear that “the Constitution is in danger,” Priyank Kharge stated.

Isn’t today’s governance in this country being run according to the values of the Constitution? Or is it being run on the basis of the ‘Manusmriti’ propagated by the RSS? Will the Central Government take responsibility for this incident? Kharge questioned.

Such an act, which has never happened in the history of the nation, has now taken place. This black stain of the ‘Manuvadis’ can never be erased, he stated.

A dramatic incident unfolded at the Supreme Court on Monday when an elderly man attempted to throw a shoe at Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai during a courtroom hearing. The footwear, however, fell short of the bench, and security personnel quickly restrained the individual.

Unfazed by the disruption, Chief Justice Gavai addressed the court, stating, “I am the last person to be affected by such things,” before proceedings continued as scheduled.

Eyewitnesses reported that the incident occurred shortly after the day’s first case was taken up. The man, later identified as Kishore Rakesh through a proximity card typically issued to lawyers and clerks, reportedly shouted slogans such as, “India won’t tolerate Sanatan’s insult,” before attempting to throw the shoe. His motives remain unclear, and security agencies are currently questioning him.

The dramatic incident came in the wake of criticism directed at Chief Justice B.R. Gavai over a remark he made last week during the hearing of a public interest plea concerning the reconstruction of a damaged idol of Lord Vishnu in Khajuraho. While rejecting the plea, Gavai had reportedly said, “Go and ask the deity himself to do something,” a comment that sparked widespread outrage on social media.

Responding to the controversy, Chief Justice Gavai clarified, “Someone informed me that my remarks were portrayed in a certain way on social media. I respect all religions.”

–IANS

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