After receiving criticism for his remarks, Chief Justice of India, B.R Gavai, responded by saying that he had no intention of hurting any religion and he believes in secularism. Stating that he worships all faiths and goes to all religious places, he broke his silence on Thursday. The hearing was related to a case of a damaged Lord Vishnu idol.
He made the remarks in the courtroom in the presence of several people. Solicitor General of India, Tushar Mehta, was also present, and said that he has known Justice Gavai for a long time and agrees that he visits every religious place. The court was hearing a plea to reconstruct the seven-foot-long Vishnu idol at the Javari temple, which is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Khajuraho group of monuments. The plea was declined by Justice Gavai on behalf of the bench comprising Justice Vinod Chandra on 16th September.
He added that the remarks were made purely in public interest, and for no other reason. The CJI was reported to have said to the petitioner, Rakesh Dalal, that he should ask the deity to do something, saying that he should rather pray and meditate. Clarifying his stance on Thursday, Justice Gavai said that his words were interpreted out of context, as he only meant that since the site was protected under ASI, the court couldn’t intervene.
He explained that since the monuments were preserved under the Archaeological Survey of India, the court cannot pass orders. He also referred to the recent Waqf case and said that he does not wish to create another chaotic environment in the country. Talking about the media reaction, he said that Newton’s law said that for every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction, but today, for every action, there is a disproportionate reaction.
He further said that he avoids social media due to these rumours, and will continue to do so, especially till the time of his retirement. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal also responded to the controversy and said that social media was like an “unruly horse”. Justice Gavai also referred to the recent upheaval in Nepal and talked about how it originated from a social media ban.
