Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday condemned the attack on Chief Justice of India (CJI) B R Gavai, calling it “an assault on the dignity of the judiciary and the spirit of the Constitution.”“The attack on the Chief Justice of India is an assault on the dignity of our judiciary and the spirit of our Constitution. Such hatred has no place in our nation and must be condemned,” the Congress leader wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).His statement came hours after a shocking incident inside the Supreme Court, where a 71-year-old lawyer allegedly tried to hurl a shoe at the CJI during court proceedings. The advocate, identified as Rakesh Kishore from Mayur Vihar, was immediately restrained by security personnel and escorted out.Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi also condemned the incident saying no words were adequate to condemn the incident. “It is an assault not just on him but on our Constitution as well,” she said, urging the nation to stand “in solidarity with him unitedly with a deep sense of anguish and outrage.”In a detailed statement, the Congress described the incident as “the outcome of a sustained campaign to undermine institutions, intimidate voices of integrity, and erode public faith in the judiciary.” It accused the Modi government of fostering a “culture of impunity and hatred” through years of attacks on independent institutions.“On behalf of the Indian National Congress, I condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms. The safety and security of our Judiciary is paramount. Let justice and reason prevail, not intimidation,” Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge wrote. The party said the incident marked a “shocking and dangerous new low in India’s democratic history”.The Delhi Police said the incident took place around 11:35 am in Court No. 1 while a bench comprising the CJI and Justice K. Vinod Chandran was hearing the mentioning of cases. Police said further investigation was underway.Despite the disruption, CJI Gavai continued with the proceedings, telling the court, “Don’t get distracted by all this. We are not distracted. These things do not affect me.”
