'I respect all religions': CJI Gavai on backlash over his 'ask you deity' remark - What's Khajuraho case

NEW DELHI: Reacting to the social media backlash over his "go ask your deity" remark, Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai on Thursday said: "I respect all religions".On CJI Gavai's remark, Solicitor General G Tushar Mehta, according to Bar & Bench, said: "We have seen this...

There is Newton's law, which says every action has an equal reaction, but now every action has a disproportionate social media reaction, Milord.

"The CJI-led bench on Tuesday dismissed a plea seeking directions to reconstruct and reinstall a seven-foot idol of Lord Vishnu at the Javari Temple, which is part of the Unesco World Heritage Khajuraho temple complex in Madhya Pradesh. The CJI Justice BR Gavai-led bench called the plea a “publicity interest litigation”. “This is purely publicity interest litigation… Go and ask the deity himself to do something. If you are saying that you are a strong devotee of Lord Vishnu, then you pray and do some meditation,” the CJI was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.Chief Justice BR Gavai, heading a bench with Justice K Vinod Chandran, refused to entertain a plea from Rakesh Dalal calling for the installation and consecration of a new idol at the damaged Javari Temple in Chhatarpur district.

The counsel for the petitioner said the idol’s head was dilapidated and urged the court to intervene to allow its reconstruction.The bench said the issue squarely fell under the jurisdiction of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).“It’s an archaeological find, whether the ASI would permit such a thing to be done or not… there are various issues,” the CJI said.The CJI added, “In the meantime, if you are not averse to Shaivism, you can go and worship there… there is a very big linga of Shiva, one of the biggest in Khajuraho.”Dalal's petition sought directions for the replacement or reconstruction of the idol, arguing several representations were made to the central home ministry and the ASI.