A day after attempting to hurl a shoe at Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice BR Gavai inside the Supreme Court, 71-year-old lawyer Rakesh Kishore defended his actions on Tuesday, citing emotional distress and feeling mocked by the judiciary.
The Bar Council of India has suspended Kishore’s licence with immediate effect.
The incident occurred on Monday during the mentioning of cases before a CJI-led bench. Witnesses said Rakesh Kishore suddenly approached the dais on the raised platform, removed his shoe, and attempted to throw it towards the judges. Security personnel quickly intervened and prevented the act.
Kishore said, “The CJI should think that when he is sitting on such a high constitutional post, he should understand the meaning of 'Milord' and uphold its dignity. You go to Mauritius and say that the country will not run with a bulldozer. I ask the CJI and those opposing me: Is the bulldozer action by Yogi (Adityanath) ji against those who encroached on government property wrong? I am hurt and will continue to be so.”
Earlier this month, Justice BR Gavai, speaking at the Sir Maurice Rault Memorial Lecture 2025 in Mauritius on the “Rule of Law in the Largest Democracy,” reaffirmed that India’s legal system is guided by the rule of law, not “bulldozer justice.”
The CJI cited his own verdict that rejected executive actions bypassing due process, which violate the fundamental right to shelter under Article 21. “The executive cannot assume the roles of judge, jury, and executioner simultaneously,” Gavai had said.
Justifying his act, Kishore claimed it was a reaction to what he described as “mockery” of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed on September 16. “I was deeply hurt. Justice Gavai completely mocked it. Mockery in the sense that he said, 'Go pray to the idol, ask the idol to restore its own head,'” Kishore said.
He alleged the judiciary acts differently in cases involving other communities. “We see that the same chief justice takes big steps when a case comes up against other communities… Let me give an example: In Haldwani, railway land is encroached upon by a specific community. When attempts were made to remove the encroachment, the Supreme Court imposed a stay three years ago, which is still in effect today. Similarly, when the Nupur Sharma case came up, the court said, 'You have spoiled the atmosphere'. They do all that. That is perfectly fine,” he said.
Kishore expressed dismay over the court’s approach to issues related to Sanatan Dharma, citing examples such as Jallikattu and Dahi Handi. “Whenever an issue related to our Sanatan Dharma comes up, this Supreme Court continues to pass some kind of order regarding it. I am very sad that they should not be doing this,” he said.
The lawyer insisted his actions were not driven by intoxication or impulse, but by “emotional distress”. “It's not like I was drunk, or I had taken any pills, and then came and did something. Nothing like that happened. They took action. It was my reaction,” he said, adding he neither fears nor regrets the incident.
Also Read : BCI suspends advocate Rakesh Kishore who 'threw' shoe at CJI
“Although I am strongly against violence, you must also consider why a non-violent, simple, honest person, who has no case against him till date and doesn't belong to any group, had to do all this? This is certainly something worth thinking about. The whole country should reflect on what happened,” Kishore said.
He added, “My name is Dr Rakesh Kishore. Can someone tell my caste? Maybe I am a Dalit too. It is one-sided that you are taking advantage of the fact that he (CJI Gavai) is a Dalit. He is not a Dalit. He was a Sanatani Hindu first. He then renounced his faith and followed Buddhism. If he feels that he has come out of Hinduism after following Buddhism, how is he still a Dalit? This is about mindset.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly condemned the attack on the CJI on Monday, saying it had “angered every Indian”. He spoke with Justice Gavai, appreciating the calm displayed by the CJI and highlighting his commitment to the values of the Constitution.
“Spoke to Chief Justice of India, Justice BR Gavai Ji. The attack on him earlier today in the Supreme Court premises has angered every Indian. There is no place for such reprehensible acts in our society. It is utterly condemnable. I appreciated the calm displayed by Justice Gavai in the face of such a situation. It highlights his commitment to values of justice and strengthening the spirit of our Constitution,” Modi said in a post on X.
Several other leaders also strongly condemned the incident. The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) issued a firm resolution condemning the conduct of the advocate who disrupted proceedings in the courtroom of the Chief Justice of India.
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