Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice B.R. Gavai. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai on Thursday (September 18, 2025) affirmed his respect for “all religions” in the wake of the criticism on social media over his remark in a matter over the reconstruction of a Lord Vishnu idol at Khajuraho’s Javari temple.
CJI Gavai said that he believes in secularism. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, seconding the Chief Justice, conveyed his objection to how social media twists comments out-of-context. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal said social media is like an “unruly horse”.
Earlier, a Bench comprising the CJI and Justice K. Vinod Chandran, on May 16, dismissed the plea seeking directions to reconstruct and reinstall a seven-foot idol of Lord Vishnu at the Javari Temple, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Khajuraho temple complex in Madhya Pradesh.
Terming the plea as a “publicity interest litigation”, the CJI said, “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 had 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.” The Bench had refused to entertain the plea filed by one Rakesh Dalal, who sought the replacement and consecration of the damaged idol at the Javari Temple in Chhatarpur district.
(With inputs from PTI)
Published – September 18, 2025 03:32 pm IST
