Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday alleged that the , in which a lawyer tried to throw a shoe at him, was a “preplanned conspiracy”, claiming it was aimed at “intimidating Dalits and the judiciary.”
“The attack on Chief Justice Gavai and the subsequent threats to him are a conspiracy to suppress and intimidate Dalits and the entire judiciary,” the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said in a video statement.
Kejriwal’s remarks came just hours after the , the lawyer who tried to throw a shoe at Chief Justice of India BR Gavai earlier this week, with immediate effect, while also revoking his entry card and barring him from entering the top court premises.
In the suspension notice, the Bar 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.”
In the video posted on X, Kejriwal said that after the incident, the Chief Justice was subjected to various insults and threats on social media, “yet neither the accused who threw the shoe nor those issuing threats faced any immediate action.”
“This, however, suggested a coordinated, systematic campaign,” he said.
The former Chief Minister also suggested that the attempted attack and the lack of any action was a message sent to the Dalit community and the judiciary.
“Justice Gavai is from the Dalit community, and some appear unable to accept that someone from that background, through hard work and dedication, could rise to become Chief Justice of India. Are these actions intended to intimidate and humiliate the Dalit community? What signal does this send to ordinary Dalits seeking justice? Does it not risk emboldening those who harbour prejudice against Dalits?” he queried.
Commenting on the message sent to the judiciary, Kejriwal said that if no action is taken against those who attacked the Chief Justice, “who will protect judges in lower courts? Incidents like this risk chilling judges’ willingness to issue orders or speak out for justice. Could this be a deliberate attempt to intimidate and control the judiciary as a whole?”
While condemning the incident, the AAP leader demanded stern punishment against the attacker, as well as those who have threatened and insulted Chief Justice Gavai on social media.
“After targeting the Election Commission, the media and the opposition, the latest efforts to silence the judiciary suggest a disturbing bid to weaken democratic institutions,” he added.
The Chief Justice received widespread criticism over his while hearing a plea linked to the restoration of a damaged Vishnu idol in Madhya Pradesh.
While asserting that he had no regrets about the incident,
“A PIL was filed in the court of CJI on September 16. The CJI mocked it and said – go and pray to the idol and tell it to restore its own head… When a matter related to our Sanatan Dharma comes up, the Supreme Court passes such orders,” the senior Supreme Court lawyer told India Today.
“Don’t provide relief to the petitioner, but don’t mock him either. I was hurt. I was not inebriated. This was my reaction to his (Chief Justice) action. I am not fearful.”