Amid the critical comments on social media and veiled threats from militant religious groups, Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai on Thursday affirmed his respect for all religions. “Someone told me the other day that the comments I made have been portrayed in social media...I respect all religions,” he said.
When the CJI mentioned how he was misquoted regarding Lord Vishnu idol in Khajuraho, Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta said he has known the CJI since last 10 years and Justice Gavai visits all religious places with equal reverence and would not even think of insulting any deity.
“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 wrong and disproportionate social media over reaction,” the SG added.
Justice Vinod Chandran, on the bench with CJI, referred to the ill effects of uninformed social media posts illustrating it with his recusal in one of the matters due to the lawyer appearing in it. Social media, the judge said, was in fact anti social media.
Earlier in the day, a militant religious group criticised CJI’s comments and said they could have been avoided.
“We feel that the Chief Justice’s oral remark has mocked the beliefs of Hindu religion. It would be better to avoid such remarks,” a leader of the group had said. “It is also our duty to exercise restraint in our comments, especially inside the court. This responsibility lies with the litigants, the lawyers and equally with the judges,” he added.
In his plea, Rakesh Dalal had sought replacement and consecration of the damaged idol at the Javari Temple in Chhatarpur district, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Khajuraho temple complex in Madhya Pradesh. The bench said the issue squarely fell under the jurisdiction 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,” the CJI said.
The CJI 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.” Dalal’s petition had sought directions for the replacement or reconstruction of the idol, arguing several representations were made to the Union home ministry and the ASI.