Calling it a “reprehensible” act, which has “angered every Indian”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a chorus of condemnation that cut across party lines over Monday’s incident at the Supreme Court, where a lawyer threw a shoe at Chief Justice of India B R Gavai. That lawyer had claimed that the CJI's remarks had insulted “sanatan dharma”. The incident sparked outrage across the political spectrum with the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and the chief ministers of West Bengal, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, decrying it as a “direct attack on democracy”. Some of them, including AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal, underlined that it was an attack on a Dalit judge. According to Delhi Police sources, the 71-year-old lawyer was identified as Rakesh Kishore, who claimed during questioning that he was “unhappy with the CJI’s remarks” during a recent hearing of a plea seeking the restoration of a Lord Vishnu idol at the Khajuraho temple complex. Taking to X, the Prime Minister posted: “Spoke to Chief Justice of India, Justice B R 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's reaction came soon after the BJP described the “attempted attack” as an “unacceptable assault on the sanctity of the judiciary”. Posting on X, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia wrote: “The courtroom of the Hon’ble Chief Justice is not just four walls - it is the sanctum sanctorum of our democracy. The attempted attack on Hon'ble CJI B R Gavai in the Supreme Court is an unacceptable assault on the sanctity of the judiciary and the rule of law. Such acts of violence, regardless of motive, are a direct threat to our democracy. This must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi posted on X: “The attack on the Chief Justice of India is an assault on the dignity of our judiciary and the spirit of our Constitution. Such hatred has no place in our nation and must be condemned.” Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi said, “No words are adequate to condemn the attack on the Honourable Chief Justice of India in the Supreme Court itself… It is an assault not just on him but on our Constitution as well. Chief Justice Gavai has been very gracious but the nation must stand in solidarity with him unitedly with a deep sense of anguish and outrage.” Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the unprecedented attack was shameful, and one on “the dignity of our judiciary and the rule of law”. “When a sitting Chief Justice, who rose to the nation’s highest judicial office through merit, integrity, and perseverance, is targeted in such a manner, it sends a deeply disturbing message. It reflects an attempt to intimidate and humiliate a man who has broken social barriers to uphold the Constitution. Such a mindless act shows how hate, fanaticism and bigotry has engulfed our society in the past decade,” he said. Emphasising the Dalit background of the 64-year-old CJI, who hails from Maharashtra, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, “Justice B R Gavai, belonging to the Dalit community, has risen to the highest echelons of the judiciary by overcoming entrenched social barriers through merit and perseverance. This incident is a stark reminder that caste-based prejudice and Manuvaadi mindsets continue to persist - even 75 years after the enactment of the Indian Constitution.” AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal said the incident was “not just an attack on one judge but an assault on the soul of India, an assault on the judiciary of this country”. “A Dalit son reached the highest seat in the country through hard work and honesty—this these people cannot tolerate. Just see their audacity. Their supporters are openly threatening the CJI on social media. This country will never tolerate this kind of politics and thuggery,” Kejriwal said. SP’s Akhilesh Yadav called the attack an insult to OBC, Dalit and minority communities while BSP chief Mayawati labelled the incident as “shameful”. The Opposition's remarks appeared to reflect the emergence of caste as a key political issue over the past few years, with the Congress demanding a caste census and the Centre repeatedly highlighting its work among deprived sections before announcing such a census. The attack was also condemned by prominent Dalit filmmaker P A Ranjith who described the incident as “not just a moment of shame but a dangerous reflection of deep disregard for Constitutional values”. “This incident insults the very idea of justice and equality that the law of the land stands for,” he posted on X. Meanwhile, the CPM politburo described the incident as “yet another example of the Manuvadi and communal venom injected into society by Hindutva communal forces”. “It also reflects the Sangh Parivar's intolerance and unwillingness to accept any opinion that does not conform to their ideology,” it said. CPI general secretary D Raja called it a “direct assault on the judiciary”. West Bengal CM and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee termed the incident as “outrageous” and “effectively an assault on the Constitution of India”. “I personally respect Justice Gavai and send him my regards from the flood-hit North Bengal where I am camping now,” she said. The incident also drew sharp reactions from Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin and his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan. “The manner in which the Hon’ble CJI responded with grace, calm and magnanimity shows the strength of the institution, but that cannot make us take the incident lightly. The reason revealed by the attacker for his act shows how deeply the oppressive and hierarchical mindset still lingers in our society,” Stalin said. Vijayan called it “a reflection of the hatred spread by the Sangh Parivar”, and warned that dismissing the attack as an individual act would mean ignoring “the growing climate of intolerance”. “When communal fanaticism dares to target even the CJI, it exposes the grave danger of this divisive and venomous politics that must be confronted without hesitation,” he said. Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu said such acts were “unacceptable.in a civilised and democratic society” while Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu saw it as an attack on the “soul of the Constitution”. Among the other parties that condemned the incident were NCP-SP and Shiv Sena (UBT) from Maharashtra.
