Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], October 7 (ANI): Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) working president KTR on Tuesday condemned the attempted attack on Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, saying that the incident is a sign of 'increasing intolerance' in the country.

'The intolerance in our country has reached its highest levels; an outrageous sign of which was witnessed yesterday in Supreme Court when the CJI Gavai was attacked. Strongly and unequivocally condemn the attempted attack on Chief Justice B.R. Gavai,' KTR posted on X.

He further called it an attack not just on an individual but on the institution itself, and said that violence is not justified even while disagreeing on sensitive issues like faith.

'This shameful assault on judicial dignity is not just an attack on an individual but on the institution itself. No disagreement, even on sensitive issues like faith, justifies violence. Such behaviour threatens the foundation of democracy itself,' his post stated.

A 71-year-old lawyer, Rakesh Kishore, attempted to throw a shoe at the Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai during working hours at the Supreme Court on Monday. He was immediately apprehended by the security personnel and escorted out. As per sources, the attacker, while being escorted out, said, 'Sanatan ka apman nahi sahega Hindustan.'

Following his failed attempt to attack the CJI, Kishore was handed over to the Delhi Police. The police questioned him for three hours before releasing him.

The attacker had reportedly been upset over CJI Gavai's remarks that came while dismissing a plea seeking restoration of a seven-foot-long beheaded structure of Lord Vishnu in the Javari temple in Khajuraho, MP.

CJI Gavai had, during the hearing of the matter, remarked that the petitioner seeking directions to restore the idol should go and seek the remedy by praying to Lord Vishnu, as the Court declined to entertain the same. While refusing to hear the case, the top court opined that it is a dispute over a temple, which is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), suggesting that the ASI is a more competent authority to intervene in this regard. (ANI)