Suspended Advocate Rakesh Kishore
NEW DELHI: In his first reaction after trying to hurl a shoe towards Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai, suspended Advocate Rakesh Kishore said he “didn’t regret” his actions and that his motive was guided by what CJI had said while dismissing the plea, which sought reconstruction of Lord Vishnu idol in Madhya Pradesh’s Khajuraho.“A PIL was filed in the Court of CJI on 16th September. The CJI mocked it and said – go and pray to the idol and tell it to restore its own head…When a matter related to our Sanatan Dharma comes up, SC passes such orders. Don’t provide relief to the petitioner, but don’t mock him either…I was hurt…I was not inebriated; this was my reaction to his action…I am not fearful. I don’t regret what happened,” Rakesh Kishore told news agency ANI.Kishore tried to attack CJI Gavai inside an SC courtroom on Monday, but alert security personnel restrained him the moment he removed his sports shoes in a bid to hurl them at the CJI.
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Gavai remained calm and composed and went ahead with court proceedings. “Don’t get distracted,” the CJI told lawyers.Kishore also shouted, “Sanatan ka apman nahi sahenge,” while being dragged away by security staff. Later, the Bar Council of India suspended his licence.Delhi Police said no complaint was received, and Kishore was released after verification. Terming it a “publicity interest litigation”, the Supreme Court last month dismissed a plea seeking directions to reconstruct and reinstall a seven-foot idol of Lord Vishnu at the Javari Temple, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Khajuraho temple complex in MP.A bench headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran refused to entertain the plea filed by one Rakesh Dalal, who sought the replacement and consecration of the damaged idol at the Javari Temple in Chhatarpur district.“This is purely publicity interest litigation… 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,” the CJI said.The petitioner’s counsel said the idol’s head was dilapidated & urged SC to intervene to allow its reconstruction.SC said the issue squarely fell under Archaeological Survey of India’s jurisdiction . “It’s an archaeological find, whether ASI would permit such a thing to be done or not… there are various issues,” 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.”Gavai later clarified that he never made the comments attributed to him by social media. The bars and lawyer community have strongly condemned the attack, which took place at 11.35 am when a bench of the CJI and Justice K Vinod Chandran assembled to hear cases listed before it, terming it an attack on judiciary and sought action against the lawyer.
