Justice, Lord Vishnu, and the shoe. Who speaks for the Divine?

By Prof. Hemantkumar Shah*

Rakesh Kishor, who attempted to throw a shoe at India’s Chief Justice B.R. Gavai, claimed in an interview that he did nothing of his own accord—“I only did what the Divine made me do.”

This controversy began when the Supreme Court dismissed a public interest litigation demanding the proper reinstallation of a seven-foot-tall broken idol of Lord Vishnu in Khajuraho. Justice Gavai had remarked at the time, “Go and ask the deity himself…”

But was he wrong to say that? If Lord Vishnu, considered the sustainer of all, cannot protect his own idol, then what exactly does he do? That question seems fair.

Now, if Rakesh Kishor acted on divine instruction, then—

Why didn’t he accept that Justice Gavai’s words too were spoken by divine will? If the Divine can act through Kishor, can it not act through Gavai? Does Kishor believe that the Divine belongs only to him and not to Gavai—because Gavai is Dalit?

If Sanatan Dharma teaches that everything is done by the Divine, then humans do nothing at all. So when the idol of Vishnu was desecrated during Mughal rule, that too must have been orchestrated by the Divine. One must accept what the Divine does, right?

The Archaeological Survey of India has operated under the watch of Narendra Modi’s government for the past eleven years. Why then has it failed to reinstall the broken Vishnu idol properly in all that time? Our Prime Minister claims to be non-biological. So perhaps he will act only when the Divine commands him to. Until then, he can do nothing about the broken idol.

The Divine instructed Kishor to throw a shoe at Justice Gavai, but hasn’t yet instructed the Prime Minister to restore Vishnu’s idol. Why is that? Do they worship different Divines?

In his interview, Kishor said “the Divine made me do it.” He didn’t say Lord Vishnu made him do it. Yet it was Vishnu’s idol that was desecrated. So if Vishnu didn’t act through Kishor, but some other Divine did, isn’t that an insult to Vishnu? Are Vishnu and the Divine separate? Vishnu is embodied, while the Divine is formless. It’s hard to understand what Kishor is claiming.

Kishor has effectively made the Divine the culprit behind the shoe-throwing. The Divine conspired, and Kishor executed. So shouldn’t we catch the Divine? Until the Divine is found, Kishor must be considered a co-conspirator.

And if I say the Divine instructed me to write this—would that be acceptable too?

---

*Senior academic based in Ahmedabad

Comments

Anonymous said…

Gavai is a Bouddha. He is not a Dalit. Isn't caste uniquely pinned to Hinduism? After all, that is the sole reason for AMBEDKAR TO HATE Hindus and Hinduism. Ambedkar clearly stated that he did not believe in Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma, Rama and Krishna. Being a devout Ambedkarite follower, it is thus obvious that your Gavai will be biased against Vishnu. Hence, it is safe, to say that your Gavai has lowered the dignity of the office of CJI by speaking against Vishnu.

Ps..Gavai is no longer a Dalit. So, it would be better to not hide behind those credentials. Also, Buddha did not hate Vishnu unlike his follower Ambedkar.

October 11, 2025

Academics urge Azim Premji University to drop FIR against Student Reading Circle

By A Representative A group of academics and civil society members has issued an open letter to the leadership of Azim Premji University expressing concern over the filing of a police complaint that led to an FIR against a student-run reading circle following a recent incident of violence on campus. The signatories state that they hold the university in high regard for its commitment to constitutional values, critical inquiry and ethical public engagement, and argue that it is precisely because of this reputation that the present development is troubling.

Was Netaji forced to alter face, die in obscurity in USSR in 1975? Was he so meek?

By Rajiv Shah This should sound almost hilarious. Not only did Subhas Chandra Bose not die in a plane crash in Taipei, nor was he the mysterious Gumnami Baba who reportedly passed away on 16 September 1985 in Ayodhya, but we are now told that he actually died in 1975—date unknown—“in oblivion” somewhere in the former Soviet Union. Which city? Moscow? No one seems to know.

UAPA action against Telangana activist: Criminalising legitimate democratic activity?

By A Representative The National Investigation Agency's Hyderabad branch has issued notices to more than ten individuals in Telangana in connection with FIR No. RC-04/2025. Those served include activists, former student leaders, civil rights advocates, poets, writers, retired schoolteachers, and local leaders associated with the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Indian National Congress.

Asbestos contamination in children’s products highlights global oversight gaps

By A Representative A commentary published by the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS) has drawn attention to the challenges governments face in responding effectively to global public-health risks. In an article written by Laurie Kazan-Allen and published on March 5, 2026, the author examines how the discovery of asbestos contamination in children’s play products has raised questions about regulatory oversight and international product safety. The article opens by reflecting on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that governments in several countries were slow to respond to early warning signs of the crisis. Referring to the experience of the United Kingdom, the author writes that delays in implementing protective measures contributed to “232,112 recorded deaths and over a million people suffering from long Covid.” The commentary uses this example to illustrate what it describes as the dangers of underestimating emerging threats. Attention then turns...

The kitchen as prison: A feminist elegy for domestic slavery

By Garima Srivastava* Kumar Ambuj stands as one of the most incisive voices in contemporary Hindi poetry. His work, stripped of ornamentation, speaks directly to the lived realities of India’s marginalized—women, the rural poor, and those crushed under invisible forms of violence. His celebrated poem “Women Who Cook” (Khānā Banātī Striyāṃ) is not merely about food preparation; it is a searing indictment of patriarchal domestic structures that reduce women’s existence to endless, unpaid labour.

Aligning too closely with U.S., allies, India’s silence on IRIS Dena raises troubling questions

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The reported sinking of the Iranian ship IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka raises troubling questions about international norms and the credibility of the so-called rule-based order. If indeed the vessel was attacked by the American Navy while returning from a joint exercise in Visakhapatnam, it would represent a serious breach of trust and a violation of the principles that govern such cooperative engagements. Warships participating in these exercises are generally not armed for combat; they are meant to symbolize solidarity and friendship. The incident, therefore, is not only shocking but also deeply ironic.

India’s foreign policy at crossroads: Cost of silence in the face of aggression

By Venkatesh Narayanan, Sandeep Pandey The widely anticipated yet unprovoked attack on Iran on March 1 by the United States and Israel has drawn sharp criticism from several quarters around the world. Reports indicate that the strikes have resulted in significant civilian casualties, including 165 elementary school girls, 20 female volleyball players, and many other civilians.

India’s green energy push faces talent crunch amidst record growth at 16% CAGR

By Jag Jivan* A new study by a top consulting firm has found that India’s cleantech sector is entering a decisive growth phase, with strong policy backing, record capacity additions and surging investor interest, but facing mounting pressure on talent supply and rising compensation costs .

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Search This Blog