The Supreme Court of India witnessed an unprecedented disruption on Monday when 71-year-old lawyer Rakesh Kishor, a resident of Mayur Vihar, allegedly tried to hurl his shoe at Chief Justice B R Gavai during routine mentioning proceedings. The incident unfolded before a bench comprising CJI Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran, as lawyers queued to flag urgent cases.

Undeterred, the CJI, known for his composed demeanor honed over a 35-year judicial career—from Bombay High Court in 1989 to elevations in 2019 and apex appointment in 2024—calmly addressed the courtroom: "Don't get distracted by all this. We are not distracted. These things do not affect me," before seamlessly resuming hearings. Security personnel swiftly neutralized the threat, escorting Kishor out amid his chants of "Sanatan ka apman nahi sahenge" (We will not tolerate insults to Sanatan Dharma), a slogan echoing Hindu nationalist sentiments and hinting at deeper ideological undercurrents.

The episode appears rooted in lingering resentment over CJI Gavai's September remarks dismissing a petition to restore a seven-foot Vishnu idol at Madhya Pradesh's UNESCO-listed Javari Temple in Khajuraho. The bench, labeling the plea "publicity interest litigation," quipped, "Go and ask the deity himself to do something. If you are saying that you are a strong devotee of Lord Vishnu, then you pray and do some meditation," sparking viral backlash on social media platforms like X, where clips amassed over 5 million views and fueled accusations of irreverence toward Hindu traditions.

Addressing the uproar on September 18, Gavai, the first Scheduled Caste CJI since K G Balakrishnan in 2007, reaffirmed his interfaith respect: "Someone told me the other day that the comments I made have been portrayed in social media.... I respect all religions." Sources suggest Kishor's outburst may stem from this controversy, amplified by online misinformation, though police, in coordination with the Supreme Court's Registrar General, are probing motives, including potential prior grievances or external influences.

Legal luminaries swiftly condemned the act, framing it as an assault on judicial integrity. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta decried it as "unfortunate and condemnable," attributing it to "misinformation in social media" and "cheap publicity" by an "attention seeker." Praising Gavai's "magnanimity," Mehta cautioned, "I only hope that this magnanimity is not treated by others as the weakness of the institution," while noting the CJI's personal visits to diverse religious sites.

Senior advocate Indira Jaising escalated the discourse, calling it "an attack on the institution as a whole" and a "casteist remark" against Gavai, urging a "legal response from the Supreme Court." As Kishor faces contempt charges under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971—potentially up to six months imprisonment—the incident underscores rising tensions between social media echo chambers and institutional decorum, with over 1,000 X posts trending #JusticeUnderAttack by evening, blending support for the judiciary with polarized religious rhetoric.

Also Read: Navy Chief Holds High-Level Security Talks with Maharashtra CM

This breach, the most audacious since the 2019 ink-throwing at Justice S A Bobde, highlights vulnerabilities in courtroom security despite post-26/11 upgrades like metal detectors and CCTV. With the Supreme Court handling 50,000+ cases annually amid a backlog exceeding 80,000, such episodes risk eroding public trust in an institution pivotal to India's democracy. As investigations unfold, the bar's response—via the Bar Council of India potentially disbarring Kishor—will test commitments to ethical conduct, while Gavai's unflappable poise reaffirms the judiciary's resilience against provocations, whether born of devotion, delusion, or design.

Also Read: India and Canada Agree to Rebuild Ties and Boost Security Cooperation