The body demands an immediate, thorough, and impartial investigation into the incident, with swift and stern legal action against the culprit and any instigators or conspirators behind him.
MUMBAI — The Maharashtra chapter of the All India Lawyers Union (AILU) has strongly condemned the recent shoe attack on Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai purportedly in the name of “Sanatana Dharma.”
A 71-year-old senior advocate, Rakesh Kishore (also referred to as Kishore Rakesh), holding a proximity card issued to lawyers and clerks for entry into the Supreme Court premises, raised slogans such as “India won’t tolerate Sanatan’s insults” before throwing a shoe toward the bench. Fortunately, the shoe did not reach the bench. CJI Gavai, demonstrating remarkable composure, stated, “I am the last person to be affected by such things. Please continue,” allowing the proceedings to resume uninterrupted.
Security personnel detained the advocate, who was later released as the CJI chose not to pursue immediate action. However, the Bar Council of India has since suspended Kishore’s license to practice law, citing a grave breach of professional conduct, and an investigation is ongoing.
This deplorable act is not merely an isolated outburst from an aberrant individual but must be viewed as part of an orchestrated and malicious campaign by RSS-sponsored right-wing communal elements to undermine the independence of the judiciary, its power of judicial review, and the foundational principles of secularism enshrined in the Indian Constitution, an AILU statement said on Wednesday.
The incident has evoked widespread condemnation across the legal fraternity, political parties, and society at large. Organisations like the national AILU, under President Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya and General Secretary PV Surendranath, have labelled it a “blatant attack on the Supreme Court and independent judiciary,” aligning with calls from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) which described it as an assault on the Constitution.
Social media discourse has highlighted concerns over “Brahminical terrorism” and the need to protect judicial figures from religious extremism, while emphasising the impunity displayed — no immediate case was registered despite the attack in open court.
This assault shocks the conscience of the nation and echoes the dangerous “Nathuram mind” trajectory in India, threatening not only the judiciary but the very fabric of our democratic Constitution. It raises serious questions about courtroom security, judicial impartiality amid religious and caste tensions, and the broader political efforts to erode secularism through vilification of the courts’ role in reviewing religion-tied laws, the statement said.
The AILU’s Maharashtra chapter has demanded an immediate, thorough, and impartial investigation into the incident, with swift and stern legal action against the culprit and any instigators or conspirators behind him.
