Lawyer Who Attacked CJI Says 'God Provoked Me To Do It', Ready To Face Jail

Advocate Rakesh Kishore, who attempted to hurl a shoe at Chief Justice of India B R Gavai during a Supreme Court hearing on Monday, said that he had no remorse and he “did the right thing".

He made the comments in an interview to The New Indian Express (TNIE) stating that God provoked him to attack the CJI and that he considered all the consequences of his actions before launching the attack. 

"I considered all the consequences...that I will be going to jail, I will be suffering there...but it was in the name of God, because God was provoking me to do all this," he claimed, The New Indian Express reported. 

He claimed that he was “ready to face jail" and claimed he acted under a “divine force," Hindustan Times reported. 

Kishore attributed his action towards the CJI over his remarks during a recent hearing on the restoration of a beheaded Lord Vishnu idol at Khajuraho’s Javari temple in Madhya Pradesh. As he was being taken away, Kishore was heard shouting, "Sanatan ka apman nahi sahenge" (We will not tolerate the insult of Sanatan Dharma). However, the CJI remained composed and urged lawyers present in the courtroom to continue with their arguments.

"Don't get distracted by all this. We are not distracted. These things do not affect me," the Chief Justice said. 

“It would have been better if I were in jail. My family is very unhappy with what I did. They are unable to understand," Kishore was quoted as saying.

“I couldn’t sleep after that judgment," Kishore told TNIE, referring to the Vishnu idol in the Khajuraho case.

“The almighty was asking me every night how I could rest after such an insult," he added.