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CJI Gavai's emotional speech in Ratnagiri
CJI Gavai's emotional speech in Ratnagiri: He spoke for the first time on the shoe-throwing incident - "What happened on Monday has left us all numb"
Ratnagiri, October 12, 2025 (Special Correspondent): Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (CJI) Bhushan Ramrao Gavai was among the attendees at the National Conference on 'Judiciary and Social Justice' held in Ratnagiri city of Maharashtra today. The event was not limited to just a simple speech, but also witnessed CJI Gavai's first public response to the shocking 'shoe-throwing' incident that took place in the Supreme Court a week ago. On Monday (October 6), lawyer Rakesh Kishor had tried to throw a shoe at the CJI in the Supreme Court bench, which had created a stir across the country. Gavai appeared before the media for the first time after that incident and his words left the audience in tears.
When CJI Gavai sat on a decorated dais in the Ratnagiri District Court auditorium, more than 500 lawyers, judges, social activists and students were present in the hall. The conference was inaugurated by District Judge Dr. Sunil Patil, while former Chief Justice Shahrukh Bobde and High Court Judge Dr. Vibha Joshi were present as the chief guests. CJI Gavai's speech began with the topic 'Roots of the Judiciary and its Role in Society'. He said, "The Indian judiciary is not just a book of laws, it is a living process that guarantees justice to people from every strata of society. However, in today's times, the influence of social media is creating doubts about justice. To remove this doubt, we as judges will have to be more transparent and sensitive." In the middle of his speech, CJI Gavai indirectly mentioned the shoe-throwing incident. He said, "What happened on Monday left me and my colleagues numb. At that moment, everyone in the hall was shocked. But I immediately asked them to remain calm and continue the argument, because the judiciary does not run on emotions, but on facts and law." There was a moment of silence among the attendees. The CJI's eyes filled with tears, and he continued, "That lawyer (Rakesh Kishor) expressed his displeasure over my comments in the restoration of the image of Lord Vishnu at Khajuraho. I had said in that case that the interpretation of the law should be flexible to preserve cultural heritage. But that does not mean that judges try to suppress religious sentiments. We all have a human face, and it is our duty to give that face to the law."
To give the background to this incident, on October 6, while the hearing was going on in the Supreme Court bench, lawyer Rakesh Kishor suddenly stood up and tried to throw a shoe at the CJI Gavai. Security guards intervened in time and stopped him. Kishor said in his police complaint, "God told me to do this. The CJI's comments hurt religious sentiments." The police detained him for a few hours and later released him after giving him an explanation. The incident sparked mixed reactions on social media. Some expressed doubts about the judiciary, while Union Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said, "Social media reactions are often exaggerated. Threatening judges is a threat to democracy." In his speech in Ratnagiri, CJI Gavai went beyond the incident and stressed on reforms in the judiciary. He said, "The number of cases pending in the courts has crossed 5 crore. For this, the use of digital technology will have to be increased. In a state like Maharashtra, it is difficult for people in rural areas to get justice. For this, the capacity of local courts should be increased." He mentioned the historical significance of Ratnagiri and said, "Ratnagiri is not just the land of mangoes, it is the land of justice. Freedom fighters fought for justice here, and even today we protect that tradition." At the end of his speech, he posed a question to the audience: "Justice is not just a building, it is a culture. It is the responsibility of everyone to preserve it."
After the conference, CJI Gavai interacted with local lawyers. Former Chief Justice Sharad Bobde said, "The CJI's speech was heartwarming. The shoe-throwing incident has posed a new challenge to the judiciary, but Gavai met it calmly." High Court Judge Dr. Vibha Joshi said, "Women need more representation in the judiciary. I got this inspiration from the CJI's words."
After the incident in Ratnagiri city, reactions also emerged from local political leaders. Congress leader Ashok Chavan said, "An attack on the judiciary is an attack on democracy. The government should seriously consider this." While BJP MLA Sudhir Dalvi said, "CJI Gavai is the pride of Maharashtra. I admire his courage." Hashtags #CJIinRatnagiri and #JusticeForAll have started trending on social media.
This event will not be limited to just a speech, but will shed light on the future of the judiciary. The country got a message from CJI Gavai's words that the flame of justice continues to burn even through setbacks. This small town of Ratnagiri touched the heart of the country's judiciary today, and this memory will last forever.1.7sFastHow can Grok help?
CJI Gavai's emotional speech in Ratnagiri: He spoke for the first time on the shoe-throwing incident - "What happened on Monday has left us all numb"
Ratnagiri, October 12, 2025 (Special Correspondent): Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (CJI) Bhushan Ramrao Gavai was among the attendees at the National Conference on 'Judiciary and Social Justice' held in Ratnagiri city of Maharashtra today. The event was not limited to just a simple speech, but also witnessed CJI Gavai's first public response to the shocking 'shoe-throwing' incident that took place in the Supreme Court a week ago. On Monday (October 6), lawyer Rakesh Kishor had tried to throw a shoe at the CJI in the Supreme Court bench, which had created a stir across the country. Gavai appeared before the media for the first time after that incident and his words left the audience in tears.
When CJI Gavai sat on a decorated dais in the Ratnagiri District Court auditorium, more than 500 lawyers, judges, social activists and students were present in the hall. The conference was inaugurated by District Judge Dr. Sunil Patil, while former Chief Justice Shahrukh Bobde and High Court Judge Dr. Vibha Joshi were present as the chief guests. CJI Gavai's speech began with the topic 'Roots of the Judiciary and its Role in Society'. He said, "The Indian judiciary is not just a book of laws, it is a living process that guarantees justice to people from every strata of society. However, in today's times, the influence of social media is creating doubts about justice. To remove this doubt, we as judges will have to be more transparent and sensitive." In the middle of his speech, CJI Gavai indirectly mentioned the shoe-throwing incident. He said, "What happened on Monday left me and my colleagues numb. At that moment, everyone in the hall was shocked. But I immediately asked them to remain calm and continue the argument, because the judiciary does not run on emotions, but on facts and law." There was a moment of silence among the attendees. The CJI's eyes filled with tears, and he continued, "That lawyer (Rakesh Kishor) expressed his displeasure over my comments in the restoration of the image of Lord Vishnu at Khajuraho. I had said in that case that the interpretation of the law should be flexible to preserve cultural heritage. But that does not mean that judges try to suppress religious sentiments. We all have a human face, and it is our duty to give that face to the law."
To give the background to this incident, on October 6, while the hearing was going on in the Supreme Court bench, lawyer Rakesh Kishor suddenly stood up and tried to throw a shoe at the CJI Gavai. Security guards intervened in time and stopped him. Kishor said in his police complaint, "God told me to do this. The CJI's comments hurt religious sentiments." The police detained him for a few hours and later released him after giving him an explanation. The incident sparked mixed reactions on social media. Some expressed doubts about the judiciary, while Union Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said, "Social media reactions are often exaggerated. Threatening judges is a threat to democracy." In his speech in Ratnagiri, CJI Gavai went beyond the incident and stressed on reforms in the judiciary. He said, "The number of cases pending in the courts has crossed 5 crore. For this, the use of digital technology will have to be increased. In a state like Maharashtra, it is difficult for people in rural areas to get justice. For this, the capacity of local courts should be increased." He mentioned the historical significance of Ratnagiri and said, "Ratnagiri is not just the land of mangoes, it is the land of justice. Freedom fighters fought for justice here, and even today we protect that tradition." At the end of his speech, he posed a question to the audience: "Justice is not just a building, it is a culture. It is the responsibility of everyone to preserve it."
After the conference, CJI Gavai interacted with local lawyers. Former Chief Justice Sharad Bobde said, "The CJI's speech was heartwarming. The shoe-throwing incident has posed a new challenge to the judiciary, but Gavai met it calmly." High Court Judge Dr. Vibha Joshi said, "Women need more representation in the judiciary. I got this inspiration from the CJI's words."
After the incident in Ratnagiri city, reactions also emerged from local political leaders. Congress leader Ashok Chavan said, "An attack on the judiciary is an attack on democracy. The government should seriously consider this." While BJP MLA Sudhir Dalvi said, "CJI Gavai is the pride of Maharashtra. I admire his courage." Hashtags #CJIinRatnagiri and #JusticeForAll have started trending on social media.
This event will not be limited to just a speech, but will shed light on the future of the judiciary. The country got a message from CJI Gavai's words that the flame of justice continues to burn even through setbacks. This small town of Ratnagiri touched the heart of the country's judiciary today, and this memory will last forever.1.7sFastHow can Grok help?
Ratnagiri, October 12, 2025 (Special Correspondent): Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (CJI) Bhushan Ramrao Gavai was among the attendees at the National Conference on 'Judiciary and Social Justice' held in Ratnagiri city of Maharashtra today. The event was not limited to just a simple speech, but also witnessed CJI Gavai's first public response to the shocking 'shoe-throwing' incident that took place in the Supreme Court a week ago. On Monday (October 6), lawyer Rakesh Kishor had tried to throw a shoe at the CJI in the Supreme Court bench, which had created a stir across the country. Gavai appeared before the media for the first time after that incident and his words left the audience in tears.
When CJI Gavai sat on a decorated dais in the Ratnagiri District Court auditorium, more than 500 lawyers, judges, social activists and students were present in the hall. The conference was inaugurated by District Judge Dr. Sunil Patil, while former Chief Justice Shahrukh Bobde and High Court Judge Dr. Vibha Joshi were present as the chief guests. CJI Gavai's speech began with the topic 'Roots of the Judiciary and its Role in Society'. He said, "The Indian judiciary is not just a book of laws, it is a living process that guarantees justice to people from every strata of society. However, in today's times, the influence of social media is creating doubts about justice. To remove this doubt, we as judges will have to be more transparent and sensitive." In the middle of his speech, CJI Gavai indirectly mentioned the shoe-throwing incident. He said, "What happened on Monday left me and my colleagues numb. At that moment, everyone in the hall was shocked. But I immediately asked them to remain calm and continue the argument, because the judiciary does not run on emotions, but on facts and law." There was a moment of silence among the attendees. The CJI's eyes filled with tears, and he continued, "That lawyer (Rakesh Kishor) expressed his displeasure over my comments in the restoration of the image of Lord Vishnu at Khajuraho. I had said in that case that the interpretation of the law should be flexible to preserve cultural heritage. But that does not mean that judges try to suppress religious sentiments. We all have a human face, and it is our duty to give that face to the law."
To give the background to this incident, on October 6, while the hearing was going on in the Supreme Court bench, lawyer Rakesh Kishor suddenly stood up and tried to throw a shoe at the CJI Gavai. Security guards intervened in time and stopped him. Kishor said in his police complaint, "God told me to do this. The CJI's comments hurt religious sentiments." The police detained him for a few hours and later released him after giving him an explanation. The incident sparked mixed reactions on social media. Some expressed doubts about the judiciary, while Union Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said, "Social media reactions are often exaggerated. Threatening judges is a threat to democracy." In his speech in Ratnagiri, CJI Gavai went beyond the incident and stressed on reforms in the judiciary. He said, "The number of cases pending in the courts has crossed 5 crore. For this, the use of digital technology will have to be increased. In a state like Maharashtra, it is difficult for people in rural areas to get justice. For this, the capacity of local courts should be increased." He mentioned the historical significance of Ratnagiri and said, "Ratnagiri is not just the land of mangoes, it is the land of justice. Freedom fighters fought for justice here, and even today we protect that tradition." At the end of his speech, he posed a question to the audience: "Justice is not just a building, it is a culture. It is the responsibility of everyone to preserve it."
After the conference, CJI Gavai interacted with local lawyers. Former Chief Justice Sharad Bobde said, "The CJI's speech was heartwarming. The shoe-throwing incident has posed a new challenge to the judiciary, but Gavai met it calmly." High Court Judge Dr. Vibha Joshi said, "Women need more representation in the judiciary. I got this inspiration from the CJI's words."
After the incident in Ratnagiri city, reactions also emerged from local political leaders. Congress leader Ashok Chavan said, "An attack on the judiciary is an attack on democracy. The government should seriously consider this." While BJP MLA Sudhir Dalvi said, "CJI Gavai is the pride of Maharashtra. I admire his courage." Hashtags #CJIinRatnagiri and #JusticeForAll have started trending on social media.
This event will not be limited to just a speech, but will shed light on the future of the judiciary. The country got a message from CJI Gavai's words that the flame of justice continues to burn even through setbacks. This small town of Ratnagiri touched the heart of the country's judiciary today, and this memory will last forever.1.7sFastHow can Grok help?
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