Chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday sharply condemned the attack on Chief Justice of India BR Gavai in the Supreme Court premises earlier in the day, wherein an advocate, Rakesh Kishore, hurled a shoe at Gavai over his recent comments made on September 16 while hearing a plea seeking restoration of a headless idol at the Khajuraho Temple in Madhya Pradesh.
“I strongly condemn the act of a lawyer throwing a shoe at Chief Justice B.R. Gavai. The lawyer who has insulted the Chief Justice and the court must be immediately arrested and legal action must be taken,” Siddaramaiah said in a statement.
“Justice B.R. Gavai, who belongs to the Dalit community, has reached this high position by facing social resistance and through his merit and achievements. Even after 75 years of the Constitution coming into force, caste-based inequality and intolerance remain deeply ingrained in the minds of those who follow the ideology of Manu,” he said.
Announcing solidarity with the Chief Justice, Siddaramaiah added, “Honourable Chief Justice B.R. Gavai is not alone. Millions of secular-minded people who believe in democracy and the Constitution stand with him. The Chief Justice does not belong to any party or religion, and I appeal to people of all castes, faiths, and political affiliations to collectively condemn today’s incident at the Supreme Court.”
He also warned against the growing attempts to polarise society. “We must not forget that it is because of those who divide society in the name of caste and religion, spreading hatred and intolerance, that people like Rakesh Kishore with a ‘Manuvadi mindset’ are emerging. Just as some are trying to glorify Nathuram Godse as a patriot, a few miscreants are now celebrating this lawyer’s disgraceful act. Legal action must be taken against such people too,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}He also warned against the growing attempts to polarise society. “We must not forget that it is because of those who divide society in the name of caste and religion, spreading hatred and intolerance, that people like Rakesh Kishore with a ‘Manuvadi mindset’ are emerging. Just as some are trying to glorify Nathuram Godse as a patriot, a few miscreants are now celebrating this lawyer’s disgraceful act. Legal action must be taken against such people too,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}