Amid row over his comments while dismissing a petition that sought reconstruction of a dilapidated Lord Vishnu Idol at a Khajuraho temple, Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai on Thursday clarified that his remarks were in the context of the temple being under ASI jurisdiction.
CJI Gavai asserted that he believes in all religions, respects them equally, and firmly trusts in “true secularism”.
“On social media, nowadays, it can be anything. Day before yesterday, I was told by somebody – you have said something dismissive… I believe in all the religions, I respect all the (religions)”, he said in an open court.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was also present in the court, said he has known CJI Gavai for over a decade and that he visits temples and other religious sites.
In response to Mehta, the CJI added: “I believe in true secularism, in all religions.”
CJI Gavai further clarified that he made the observation in the context of the Khajuraho temple being under the jurisdiction of the ASI. “We said it in the context of ASI ….I had also advised Mr Nuli (Senior Advocate Sanjay M Nuli, representing the petitioners in the Vishnu Idol reconstruction case) that there is also the Shiva Temple in Khajuraho, one of the biggest Lingas.”
What did CJI Gavai say
While dismissing a petition seeking reconstruction of a dilapidated idol of Lord Vishnu at a temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Khajuraho, the Chief Justice of India said that it was purely a “publicity interest litigation”.
He further asked the petitioners to “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,” CJI Gavai had said.