New Delhi: A major security scare gripped the Supreme Court of India on Tuesday after a Delhi-based advocate allegedly attempted to attack Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud Gavai during a court session, leading to his immediate suspension from practice.
The shocking incident unfolded when the intruder, identified as Advocate Kishore, approached the bench and began shouting slogans in support of Sanatan Dharma before being swiftly restrained by Supreme Court security personnel.
Eyewitnesses recounted the advocate yelling, “Sanatan Dharam ka apmaan nahi sahega Hindustan” (India will not tolerate disrespect towards Sanatan Dharma) as he was escorted out. A handwritten note recovered by the Delhi Police echoed this sentiment: “Mera sandesh har sanatani ke liye hai… Sanatan Dharma ka apmaan nahi sahega Hindustan” (My message is for all followers of Hinduism… India will not tolerate disrespect towards Hinduism).
Sources suggest that the advocate was reportedly motivated by remarks made by CJI Gavai while dismissing a plea for the reconstruction of a damaged Lord Vishnu idol at a Khajuraho temple. The CJI later issued a clarification, stating his comments were strictly related to the Archaeological Survey of India’s jurisdiction and reiterating his profound respect for all faiths.
Despite the gravity of the incident, the Supreme Court Registrar opted against initiating immediate criminal proceedings, and the Delhi Police released the advocate after a brief detention.
Nationwide Condemnation and Swift Legal Action
The attempted breach has drawn a wave of nationwide condemnation from political and legal stalwarts.
The Bar Council of India (BCI) took immediate and decisive action, issuing an interim order to suspend Advocate Kishore from practicing law with immediate effect. Legal bodies, including the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCOARA) and the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), strongly denounced the act as “scandalising the office of the Chief Justice of India” and called for contempt proceedings.
Political leaders across the spectrum — from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who termed it a “serious breach of courtroom decorum,” to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, and Chief Ministers M.K. Stalin, Pinarayi Vijayan, and Siddaramaiah — have expressed solidarity with the Chief Justice and underscored the necessity of preserving the dignity and safety of the judiciary.
