CJI's mother calls shoe attack assault on Constitution
NAGPUR, Oct. 8 -- Kamaltai Gavai, 84, mother of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R Gavai, has condemned the shoe-hurling incident inside the Supreme Court on Monday, calling it an "assault on the Constitution" and an attempt to create "anarchy in the country".
This is the first public response from the CJI's mother since the attack. The incident occurred during case mentions before a bench headed by Chief Justice Gavai when an advocate hurled an object towards the dais. Security personnel immediately intervened and escorted the man out.
The accused was later identified as advocate Rakesh Kishore. As he was being removed from the courtroom, he shouted, "Sanatan ka apman nahi sahenge" ("We will not tolerate any insult to Sanatan"), apparently referring to remarks made during the hearing of the Khajuraho Vishnu idol restoration case.
Speaking to reporters in Amravati on Tuesday, Kamaltai said, "Such acts amount to spreading anarchy. Every citizen has the right to express disagreement, but no one has the right to take the law into their own hands. We must protect the dignity of our democratic institutions." Calling for restraint and mutual respect, she added, "This is not just a personal attack but part of a poisonous ideology that must be checked before it spreads. Such incidents insult our Constitution and disgrace our nation. Anyone acting against the Constitution must face strict punishment."
Reaffirming her faith in Dr BR Ambedkar's vision, Kamaltai said, "Babasaheb Ambedkar gave us an inclusive Constitution based on the principle of 'live and let live'. No one has the right to create disorder. I urge people to resolve their issues peacefully and through constitutional means." The remarks come just days after Kamaltai declined an invitation to attend the RSS centenary celebrations in Amravati following backlash from Dalit groups.
Meanwhile, the Amravati District Lawyers Association on Tuesday staged a protest condemning the Supreme Court incident. Hundreds of advocates gathered at the district collector's office, demanding strict action against the accused. Association president Adv Sunil Deshmukh, secretary Adv Amol Mural, and senior lawyers including Adv Prashant Deshpande termed the act "an affront to the judiciary and the rule of law". Former IAS officer EZ Khobragade, representing the Sanvidhan Foundation, described the attack as a "planned conspiracy beyond caste lines". "This was an attack on the judiciary itself," he said. "The assailant must be punished without delay." Khobragade also hinted at a possible link between the courtroom attack and Kamaltai's recent decision to skip the RSS centenary event. "Her refusal was seen as an insult by the saffron organisation. What happened in Delhi the very next day cannot be viewed in isolation," he remarked....
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