Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai on Thursday sought to put at rest a row that erupted over his courtroom observations on the Khajuraho temple complex, asserting that he respects all faiths and that his comments had been wrongly attributed to him on social media.
“Someone told me the other day that the comments I made were misportrayed on social media. I respect all religions," CJI Gavai clarified in open court, after his remarks during a hearing earlier this week drew criticism from sections of Hindu groups.
The controversy stemmed from the Supreme Court’s dismissal on September 16 of a petition that had sought directions for reconstructing and reinstalling a seven-foot idol of Lord Vishnu at the Javari temple in Khajuraho, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site in Madhya Pradesh.
Describing the plea as a “publicity interest litigation”, Gavai had told the petitioner, “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 court underlined that the matter lay squarely within the ambit of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). “It’s an archaeological find, whether the ASI would permit such a thing to be done or not. There are various issues," Gavai said.
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Referring to the multiplicity of worship practices at the site, the Chief Justice had added: “In the meantime, if you are not averse to Shaivism, you can go and worship there. There is a very big linga of Shiva, one of the biggest in Khajuraho."
These remarks drew sharp reactions on social media, with the Vishva Hindu Parishad accusing the Chief Justice of “mocking" Hindu beliefs. VHP chief Alok Kumar later urged restraint in courtroom utterances, saying speech carried extra weight when made from the Bench.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal came to the Chief Justice’s defence, describing the online criticism as “a disproportionate social media reaction”. “I have known CJI Gavai for 19 years. This is serious. We know that according to Newton’s law, every action has an equal reaction. But now, every action has a disproportionate social media reaction," Sibal said.
Calling social media “an unruly horse", Sibal said, “there is no way to tame it".
By clarifying his position, the Chief Justice sought to douse the controversy and reaffirm the court’s impartiality, even as his earlier quip continues to reverberate in public discourse.
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