The CJI's Apt Remark

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 22 September 2025 Recently, when a bench of CJI BR Gavai and Justice Vinod Chandran was told that a 7-foot Vishnu idol at the Javari temple in Khajuraho, MP, was mutilated during the Mughal invasions, refusing any relief, the CJI had said, "Go and ask the deity now. You say you are a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu, so go and pray now." This has annoyed and raised hackles of the uber-sensitive Hindus (Sorry, Sanatanis). What's so objectionable or umbrageous about his remark? But in the age of instant transmission, it became the headline. The order itself, based on clear statutory limits, was reduced to a footnote. This case is not isolated. Judges in India have often made remarks on religion or belief that travelled far beyond the court record. After the Sabarimala decision, observations about custom and equality echoed in debates long after the judgment was delivered. In the Ram Janmabhoomi case, the bench was careful to temper comments, knowing the sensitivities at stake. The Karnataka hijab ban case is another reminder. Justice Hemant Gupta, who upheld the ban, asked whether permitting hijab in classrooms would also justify saffron shawls or crucifixes, pointedly questioning “where does it end?” He also suggested that wearing hijab was cultural rather than religious, triggering sharp reactions. Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, dissenting, framed it as a matter of individual choice and argued that forcing young girls to remove it to attend school was unfair. What the public remembered, however, were the blunt lines on Islam and culture, not the fine constitutional reasoning. Go further back, and Justice S. N. Srivastava of the Allahabad High Court suggested that the Bhagavad Gita could be considered a “national Dharma Shastra.” One agrees with Aishwarya Iyer of Law Beat that faith will continue to meet law in India’s courtrooms. That is inevitable in a diverse society. The challenge is ensuring that when it does, the clarity of law does not get lost in the noise of words, however loose or provocative. In the case and context of CJI B R Gavai's statement, it's being associated with Ambedkarite ideology and a Buddhist perspective. The CJI could be an Ambedkarite with a Buddhist perspective, his remark doesn't have anything to do with his personal religious and spiritual views. When Buddhism came into being nearly 2, 600 years ago, Hindus broke the idols of Buddha as he was seen as anti-Hindu and antagonistic to overtly Brahminist Hinduism. When Hindus, esp. Brahmins, realised that it was not working, the Buddha was declared the 10th avatar of Vishnu! What a shrewd religion! It's worthwhile to mention that Buddha wasn't the founder of Buddhism. The Buddha (the enlightened one) had no intention to start a new faith as the man (Buddha) had no faith in any damn god, scripture and useless religion. It must be mentioned that even Ananda, Buddha's distant cousin and his favourite disciple, was against the canonization of Buddha's teachings into a new faith and Pitakas. Like his master, Ananda was also an apatheist (one who has gone beyond theism and atheism). Sadly as well as unfortunately, Buddha's unenlightened and unevolved followers founded Buddhism just the way, all devolved humans created ridiculous religions and their stupid god/s because the masses cannot exist sans religions and gods. Coming back to the beheaded idol of 'Lord' Vishnu, there're beheaded or mutilated idols of Buddha still to be found on the subcontinent. Buddhists didn't make a hue and cry about those dismembered idols of Buddha. Hindus worship Ganesh and create unrestrained ruckus for more than ten days, esp. in Maharashtra. After ten days of lunatic revelry, Ganesh is discarded unceremoniously. These Hindus have no problem when the idols of their beloved Bappa (Ganesh's affable sobriquet) are treated shabbily. But a beheaded idol of Vishnu is not letting them sleep peacefully and for that, they're wasting the time of the Apex court. Ridiculous, isn't it? To cut the matter short, the CJI's comment that the Vishnu idol in Khajuraho will take care of itself is justifiable. Too much religion has become our bane. ----- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/current-affairs/cji-remark-gavai/d/136922 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism