In Delhi on October 6, a lawyer tried to throw a shoe at the Chief Justice of India, Bhushan Gavai, while the Supreme Court was hearing a different case. Security officers stepped in, removed the man from the courtroom, and he shouted a protest phrase before being escorted out.
The lawyer’s name is Rajesh Kishore, a 71‑year‑old practicing attorney. His attempt blew up a debate among the judiciary and the public about respect for courts and political protest. The Supreme Court’s own bar lifted Kishore’s temporary membership, revoked his entry card, and said the act was “unbecoming of a court officer and a serious breach of professional ethics.”
CJI Gavai described the incident as shocking and said it was a “forgotten chapter” for the court. His brother, Justice Ujjwal Bhuyan, called the act “an affront to the institution” and warned that it sat outside the realm of a joke. The Solicitor General, Tushar Mehta, echoed that view, adding that the CJI’s decision to pardon the attacker was “magnanimous.”
Meanwhile, Asadudin Owaisi, the chief of the All India Majlis‑e‑Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), weighed in. Owaisi said the shoe‑hurling was an insult to the Supreme Court and that he disagreed with CJI Gavai’s choice not to prosecute the lawyer. He accused the court of ignoring larger social injustices, pointing to statistics that show daily violence against Dalit women and the lack of convictions in the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition. Owaisi also questioned how a 70‑year‑old could be radicalised, while the judge remained relaxed.
The incident highlights tensions over how protests against judicial decisions are expressed. Security and court officials reaffirmed that any disrespectful conduct in the courtroom is unacceptable. As the courts consider whether to press charges, the debate continues about balancing free speech, respect for the judiciary, and the broader social issues that fuel such acts.
Source: aninews
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