New Delhi: Chief Justice of India BR Gavai on Thursday, September 18, cleared the air in an open court hearing after receiving backlash over his comments in relation to the Khajuraho temple during a Supreme Court hearing. He said his remarks were "misrepresented" and "taken out of context" on social media.
“Someone told me the other day that the comments I made were mis-portrayed on social media. I respect all religions," the Chief Justice said in court.
Court Had Rejected Plea to Reinstall Khajuraho Idol
The controversy stems from a Supreme Court order on September 16, which dismissed a plea seeking the reinstallation of a seven-foot idol of Lord Vishnu at the Javari Temple, part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Khajuraho group of monuments in Madhya Pradesh.
During the hearing, CJI Gavai referred to the petition as “purely publicity interest litigation”. Addressing the petitioner’s religious claims, he said, “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 bench also observed that the matter fell squarely 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 Chief Justice had said.
Remarks on Shaivism Cited by Petitioners
Further attention was drawn to CJI Gavai’s additional comments referring to other temples within the Khajuraho complex. “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,” he said.
The remarks drew critical reactions on social media and from some religious groups, leading to Thursday’s clarification by the Chief Justice in an open court. No further comments were made by the petitioner following the dismissal of the plea.
