Kamaltai Gavai, the 84-year-old mother of Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai, has voiced her strong disapproval of the shoe-hurling incident that occurred within the Supreme Court premises on Monday. She unequivocally described the act as an “assault on the Constitution” and a deliberate effort to sow “anarchy in the country.” This marks the first public statement from the CJI’s mother following the unsettling event.
The incident unfolded during the mention of cases before a bench led by Chief Justice Gavai when an advocate reportedly hurled an object towards the dais. Swift action was taken by security personnel who intervened immediately and removed the individual from the courtroom.
The person responsible for the disruption was identified as advocate Rakesh Kishore. As he was being escorted out, Kishore was heard shouting, “Sanatan ka apman nahi sahenge” (“We will not tolerate any insult to Sanatan”), seemingly in response to remarks made during the hearing of a case concerning the restoration of a Khajuraho Vishnu idol.
Speaking with reporters in Amravati on Tuesday, Kamaltai Gavai stated, “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.”
Emphasizing the need for calm and mutual respect, she further commented, “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.”
Kamaltai Gavai reaffirmed her belief in the principles laid down by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, saying, “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.”
Her comments come shortly after Kamaltai had opted not to attend the RSS centenary celebrations in Amravati, a decision that had drawn criticism from Dalit groups.
In a related development, the Amravati District Lawyers Association organized a protest on Tuesday to denounce the Supreme Court incident. A large number of advocates gathered at the district collector’s office, demanding decisive action against the accused. The association’s president, Adv Sunil Deshmukh, secretary Adv Amol Mural, and senior lawyers like Adv Prashant Deshpande, characterized the act as a direct “affront to the judiciary and the rule of law.”.
EZ Khobragade, a former IAS officer and representative of the Sanvidhan Foundation, described the attack as a “planned conspiracy beyond caste lines,” asserting that it was an attack on the judiciary itself. He stressed the need for swift punishment for the assailant, warning that leniency could encourage further such incidents.
Khobragade also suggested a potential connection between the courtroom attack and Kamaltai Gavai’s recent decision to skip the RSS event, implying that her refusal might have been perceived as an insult by the organization and that the incident in Delhi could be linked to this.