Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai on Thursday reaffirmed his respect for all religions, clarifying that his recent observations during a hearing on the Khajuraho group of monuments in Madhya Pradesh had been misrepresented online.
“Someone told me the other day that the comments I made were misportrayed on social media,” the Chief Justice said, stressing that his remarks had been taken out of context.
The Khajuraho Idol Case
On September 16, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition seeking directions to reconstruct and reinstall a seven-foot idol of Lord Vishnu at the Javari Temple, part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Khajuraho complex. The bench, led by CJI Gavai, termed the plea a “publicity interest litigation.”
“This is purely publicity interest litigation. 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,” the CJI had remarked.
Emphasising that the matter fell within the purview of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the Chief Justice observed:
“It’s an archaeological find. Whether the ASI would permit such a reconstruction or not involves various issues.”
During the proceedings, he had further noted, “In the meantime, if you are not averse to Shaivism, you can worship there. There is a very big linga of Shiva, one of the largest in Khajuraho.”
‘Disproportionate Social Media Overreaction’
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta also defended the Chief Justice, criticising the distortion of judicial remarks on social media.
“We used to learn Newton’s law — for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Now, with the advent of social media, we have a new rule: for every action, there is a wrong and disproportionate overreaction,” Mehta said.
He vouched for CJI Gavai’s impartiality, saying, “I have known him for the last 10 years. He visits all religious places with equal reverence and would not even think of insulting any deity.”
Justice Vinod Chandran, too, pointed out the dangers of misinformation spread online, citing his own experience of being unfairly targeted following a judicial recusal. Senior advocate Sanjay Nuli, who represented the petitioner in the Khajuraho matter, also clarified that the Chief Justice had never made the statements being wrongly attributed to him.
The Backlash
The controversy erupted after snippets of CJI Gavai’s remarks circulated on social media. The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) accused the Chief Justice of “mocking” Hindu beliefs. VHP chief Alok Kumar, while calling for restraint, said that comments made in the courtroom must be weighed carefully.
The remarks also triggered a wave of online outrage, with some critics accusing CJI Gavai of misusing judicial authority and showing disrespect towards Lord Vishnu. Others described the incident as undermining the dignity of the Supreme Court.
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