It was the lord who made me do it: Advocate who hurled shoe at CJI Gavai
New Delhi: Rakesh Kishore, the advocate who hurled a shoe at Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai inside the Supreme Court on Monday, claimed on Tuesday that the act was not his own but inspired by divine intervention.
“I didn’t do anything. It was the Lord who made me do it,” Kishore told IANS.
Speaking exclusively to IANS after the incident, Rakesh Kishore said, “Whatever my Lord made me do, I did. I didn’t act on my own. It was the Lord’s will. There is a message behind what happened, and I will explain it.”
Referring to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) heard by CJI Gavai on September 16, Kishore said he felt deeply hurt by how the matter was handled.
“I don’t know who filed the PIL or who the lawyer was. But the case involved the restoration of a beheaded 7-foot statue of Lord Vishnu in Khajuraho. This statue was desecrated during an invasion. I have cried in front of that temple; I know the pain. But instead of taking any action, the CJI remarked, ‘Tell your God to restore it if you are a devotee.’ I felt insulted and saw it as a gross injustice,” Kishore said.
He also criticised the CJI’s recent remark that “the country will not run with bulldozers,” saying it indirectly targets state-led actions.
“We all know where bulldozer actions are happening. I was born and raised in Bareilly. I’ve seen people build hotels on illegal land. If CM Yogi doesn’t act against them, then who will?” he added.
“I said this in court, and I will say it again — India will not tolerate the insult of Sanatan Dharma,” Kishore asserted.
Commenting on his suspension, he said, “The Bar Council, led by Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, sent me a letter last night suspending me. I can show you the letter. This is not just an order — it’s a despotic decree.”
He alleged that due process was not followed.
“Under Section 35 of the Advocates Act, 1961, if any action is to be taken, a show cause notice must be issued first, followed by a hearing before the disciplinary committee. But none of that happened. They neither called me nor formed any committee. If I challenge this, nothing will happen. Justice will only be in favour of their people,” he told IANS.
“If they have decided to ruin my career, then so be it,” he added.