Hours after an attempted attack on Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai by a now-suspended lawyer inside the Supreme Court, video clips and social media posts have emerged suggesting that certain Hindu right-wing YouTubers and commentators discussed and appeared to incite violence against the Chief Justice a week prior to the incident.
The videos, shared extensively on X (formerly Twitter) and other platforms, feature influencers Ajeet (Ajit) Bharti, Kaushlesh Rai, and OpIndia editor Anupam Singh discussing the Chief Justice. In one notable video, Kaushlesh Rai reportedly made comments interpreted as incitement to violence. He stated, “I’m a Gandhian. I don’t support violence. If I did, I would have said, ‘Look, if Gavai ji gets into a fight, he lives in the courthouse, and there are Hindu lawyers there. At least one Hindu lawyer should grab Gavai ji’s head and hit him hard against the wall, so that it breaks into two pieces. But I don’t support violence at all.’”
Furthermore, Rai suggested that the date of October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, is significant. He asked rhetorically, “What is the max punishment for spitting in Gavai’s face under the IPC? Not more than six months? It’s nothing more than that. Hindus can’t even do this?” Ajit Bharti added suggestions regarding surrounding Justice Gavai’s car.
Rai is also reported to have made hypothetical comments about physically attacking the Chief Justice while positioning himself as non-violent. The emergence of these clips has provoked public outcry and calls for a thorough investigation.
Political leaders from various parties have condemned the assault on the Chief Justice. Legal experts and civil society activists argue that if the recordings are authenticated, they could lead to criminal charges such as conspiracy, incitement to violence, or promoting enmity, as defined under the Indian Penal Code. They have urged authorities to preserve digital evidence and trace the origins of the uploads. Journalists and rights organizations demand investigations into whether such online discussions contributed to the attack.
The now-suspended lawyer, Rakesh Kishore, defended his actions during the assault, claiming that Chief Justice Gavai’s remarks about the “bulldozer raj” were inappropriate. “CJI should understand that when he is sitting on such a high constitutional post, he must know the meaning of ‘Milord’ and uphold its dignity,” he said, expressing his outrage over the Chief Justice’s prior comments in Mauritius, where he stated that India operates under the rule of law, not under the rule of bulldozer.
On Monday, a pivotal incident in the Supreme Court occurred when 72-year-old Kishore attempted to throw a shoe at Chief Justice Gavai during a session, shouting, “India will not tolerate the insult of Sanatan Dharma.” Security personnel swiftly restrained him and escorted him out. Kishore was handed over to the Delhi Police but was later released after the Supreme Court registry opted not to file charges.
During police questioning, Kishore reportedly showed no remorse for his actions, citing a recent Supreme Court judgment regarding a plea for the reconstruction of a temple idol as justification. He stated, “I couldn’t sleep after that judgment,” expressing his distress over what he perceives as an insult to his beliefs.
The emergence of the videos and the subsequent events have added significant tension to the ongoing investigation into the attack on Chief Justice Gavai.
Tags: Hindu right-wing, YouTubers, CJI Gavai, attack incitement, video discussion
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