Mr. Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai – oh, the irony in your name! You bear “Ram” and “Krishna” in your very identity, yet your sharpest contempt is reserved for Lord Vishnu himself – the very deity Hindus revere as the protector and sustainer of the universe.
You are the Chief Justice of India, not a politician chasing vote banks. Your words should reflect the dignity of your office, not the tired habit of mocking Hindus that every so-called secular zealot indulges in.
When a petitioner sought the restoration of a mutilated idol of Lord Vishnu at the historic Javari temple in Khajuraho, your duty as the highest custodian of justice was to address the matter with dignity, restraint, and respect. Instead, you chose to mock the faith of devotees by sarcastically saying:
“Go and ask the deity itself to do something now. You say you are a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu. So go and pray now.”
These words were not just unnecessary; they were unbecoming of the Chief Justice of India. They were not judicial observations but derisive taunts-statements that trivialize Hindu belief and reduce centuries of devotion to the level of ridicule.
A Judge’s Duty Is To Uphold Dignity, Not Belittle Faith
No one disputes that the technical jurisdiction may lie with the Archaeological Survey of India. But there was no need to lace your verdict with disdain. A simple direction could have sufficed: refer the matter to the ASI, and let them decide. Instead, you turned the courtroom into a pulpit for mockery. In doing so, you crossed the line from judicial restraint to personal bias.
It appears that your Neo-Buddhist identity is clouding your judgment, with personal prejudice against Hinduism seeping into your words. The chair you occupy is far too sacred to be tainted by the impulses of a zealot.
Why Gavai’s Remarks Amount To Hate Speech
In constitutional terms, hate speech is not merely about calling for violence – it is also about speech that denigrates, mocks, or humiliates an entire community for its faith. When the Chief Justice of India tells a devotee to “go and ask the deity itself to do something,” he is not making a legal point; he is ridiculing the very foundation of a believer’s right under Article 25 of the Constitution – the freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practice, and propagate religion.
By dismissing the plea with derision instead of dignity, Justice Gavai crossed from judicial restraint into active disparagement. This was not just an insult to one petitioner; it was an institutional slight to every Hindu who reveres Lord Vishnu. If such words were spoken about a Prophet or a Christ figure, they would have instantly been condemned as hate speech. Why then should Hindus be forced to accept mockery of their gods as “casual remarks”?
When prejudice is uttered from the highest bench, it legitimizes Hinduphobia in society. That is why these remarks cannot be brushed aside as harmless wit – they must be recognized for what they are: hate speech against Hindus.
The Poisonous Mindset Behind The Mockery
Mr. Gavai’s insensitive remark is no different from the centuries-old vilification of Hindus as “kafirs” or “heathens” for worshipping idols. It reeks of the same poisonous Abrahamic superiority complex, the same contempt that Islamist radicals express when they mock Hindus with gomutra jibes.
Delegitimising the faith of Hindus is not essential to the interpretation of law. Normalising violence against consecrated idols – living deities for devotees – is not essential to the interpretation of law. Mainstreaming hate speech against Hindus is not a requirement for dispensing justice.
Upholding the Constitution and due process should never translate into the naked display of religious prejudice.
The Right To Worship Is Not A Joke
The petitioner did not ask the court to invoke divine powers. He asked for a mutilated idol, desecrated during Mughal invasions, to be restored. This is about history, heritage, and the fundamental right to worship. Dismissing the plea with a smirk only adds insult to injury, suggesting that Hindu concerns are unworthy of even serious legal scrutiny.
Mi Lord, You Are Not God
With all due respect, Mr. Gavai, the robes of the Chief Justice do not grant you the authority to mock the gods of millions. Your power lies in upholding the Constitution-not in ridiculing the faith of the people who look to you for justice. Your words have consequences. They embolden those who deride Hindu beliefs as backward and fan the flames of Hinduphobia in elite circles.
It is time you remember: the dignity of your office is not measured by the sharpness of your sarcasm but by the fairness of your conduct.