By Hanika Kashyap
Chief Justice of India BR Gavai addressed the controversy related to the restoration of a Lord Vishnu idol comment in Khajuraho, on Thursday,
Gavai noted that his comments had been circulated on social media in a misleading way. To contradict his statement, he further emphasised that he holds equal respect for every religion.
The comments were made on Tuesday during the dismissal of a petition that had sought the reconstruction and reinstallment of a seven-foot Lord Vishnu idol at the Javari Temple. It forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Khajuraho complex in Madhya Pradesh.
A bench led by the Chief Justice dismissed the petition filed by Rakesh Dalal, who had asked for the replacement and consecration of the damaged idol at the Javari Temple in Chhatarpur district.
Calling it a case of “publicity interest litigation,” the CJI suggested that true devotion lay in prayer and meditation rather than the courtroom battles.
The Supreme Court declined to entertain the petition, noting that the matters concerning the idol come under the purview of the Archaeological Survey of India. Chief Justice Gavai pointed out that it was essentially an archaeological discovery and that any decision on reconstruction would depend on the ASI, given the complexities involved.
During the hearing, Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, who appeared before the bench, spoke in support of Gavai, noting that he had known him for a decade and could attest to his visits to religious places across faiths.
Expressing concern over the online uproar, Mehta remarked that while Newton’s law spoke of equal reactions, in today’s time every action seems to trigger an exaggerated response on social media.