Lawyer who tried to hurl shoe at CJI knew full well he won’t face consequences: PDP chief

Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday claimed that the shoe hurled at Supreme Court Chief Justice BR Gavai portrayed “a chilling image of BJP’s Viksit Bharat” as the attacker acted with brazen confidence that he will face no real consequences.

Mufti said the question before the court now was not just legal but existential.

“A shoe hurled at Chief Justice BR Gavai offers a chilling picture of what BJP’s Viksit Bharat will look like by 2047. The attacker acted with brazen confidence knowing well that there would be no real consequences for his deplorable act,” Mufti posted on X.

The former chief minister said this has become the “new normal” in India. “This is the new normal in Godse’s Bharat where mob lynchers are garlanded, rapists are pardoned and hate is rewarded. After all, he is not Umar Khalid or Sharjeel Imam imprisoned for years without bail for expressing dissent,” she said.

“The question now before the court is not just legal but existential. Will the judiciary rise to defend the Constitution or remain silent as it is being trampled under the shoe quite literally?” she asked.

On Monday, a 71-year-old lawyer, Rakesh Kishor, approached the dais during proceedings in the Supreme Court, removed his shoe and allegedly attempted to hurl it at CJI Gavai.

Alert security personnel present inside the courtroom immediately intervened and prevented the attack. As he was being escorted out of the court premises, the lawyer was heard shouting, “Sanatan ka apman nahi sahenge” (We will not tolerate insult of Sanatan Dharma).