Criminal contempt proceedings have been sought against suspended advocate Rakesh Kishore, who attempted to hurl a shoe at Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai inside the Supreme Court on Monday. A formal request has been sent to the Attorney General seeking permission to initiate action under contempt laws.

The 71-year-old advocate was immediately restrained by security personnel and has since been suspended by the Bar Council of India. Speaking to the media a day after the incident, Kishore claimed he acted out of “emotional pain” and expressed no remorse. He alleged that the judiciary repeatedly interferes in Hindu religious matters, which deeply hurt him.

Citing a specific case, Kishore said, “On September 16, a PIL was filed in the Chief Justice’s court. Justice Gavai mocked it, saying, ‘Go pray to the idol, ask the idol to restore its own head.’” He insisted that his actions were not fueled by anger, but by grief and frustration over what he described as judicial insensitivity towards Sanatan Dharma.

Kishore maintained that he had no political affiliation or criminal history, describing himself as a “non-violent, simple, honest person.” He also alleged that the judiciary exhibits bias when dealing with different religious communities. Referring to the Supreme Court's stay on the eviction of alleged encroachments in Haldwani and its remarks in the Nupur Sharma case, he questioned why, according to him, similar sensitivity is not shown in Hindu-related matters such as Jallikattu or Dahi Handi.

He also criticised the Chief Justice’s comments made during a recent visit to Mauritius, particularly regarding bulldozer actions against encroachments in Uttar Pradesh. “When one holds a high constitutional post, one must live up to the dignity of that position. I am hurt and will continue to be,” he said.

The attempted attack has drawn sharp political reactions. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned the incident, calling it an insult to India’s constitutional ethos. Party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was angered by the act and appreciated CJI Gavai’s composure.

Opposition leaders from parties including Congress, DMK, Shiv Sena (UBT), CPI, and NCP also condemned the incident, calling it a serious breach of democratic decorum and an alarming sign of growing intolerance in society.