Bagalkote (Karnataka) [India], October 14 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday condemned the recent incident in which a man allegedly linked to Sanatan Dharma threw a shoe at the Chief Justice of India, saying that no religion teaches hatred and urging people to uphold peace and respect in society.
Addressing a gathering in Bagalkote, Siddaramaiah said that no religion advocates hatred or violence, and condemned the incident for tarnishing the spirit of harmony in society.
“Recently, a person belonging to Sanatan Dharma threw a shoe at the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. No religion says that one should hate. We should condemn what a lawyer who has studied law did. We should not tolerate it. If all this happens, where will peace be established in society?,” he said.
Earlier, CJI Gavai expressed that he and Justice K. Vinod Chandran were “shocked” by the shoe-hurling attempt made by 71-year-old lawyer Rajesh Kishore on Monday. The CJI also added that it is now a forgotten chapter for the Court.
The comments came while the CJI’s bench was hearing an unrelated matter where Senior Advocate Gopal Sankarnarayan had appeared.
Following the CJI’s comment, his brother, Justice Ujjwal Bhuyan, condemned the failed attack. Highlighting the seriousness of the incident, Justice Bhuyan said that it’s not a matter of joke, it’s an affront to the institution.The Solicitor General of India (SGI), Tushar Mehta, who was also present in the Court, concurred with the view and said that the act was unpardonable. It was the CJI’s magnanimity that the said attacker was pardoned by the Court, Mehta added.
Advocate Rakesh Kishore attempted to hurl a shoe at the Chief Justice of India in the courtroom on October 6. Security personnel present in the court intervened and took the lawyer out of the courtroom. While being escorted out of the courtroom, he uttered “Sanatan ka apmaan nahi sahega Hindustan”.
The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) had terminated the temporary membership of advocate Rakesh Kishore in connection with the shoe-hurling incident.
The SCBA also revoked his entry card and barred him from entering the Supreme Court premises.
The Association said, “Such reprehensible, disorderly, and intemperate behaviour is utterly unbecoming of an officer of the court and constitutes a serious breach of professional ethics, decorum, and the dignity of the Supreme Court.”
It said Kishore’s “reprehensible, disorderly and intemperate behaviour” amounted to “a direct assault on judicial independence” and a serious breach of professional ethics and decorum. (ANI)