All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has strongly criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) following the incident where a shoe was hurled at Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai. The incident occurred on Monday, October 6, 2025, during court proceedings in the Supreme Court.

Owaisi has questioned why a case has not been filed against the accused, Rakesh Kishore, and suggested that there may be religious bias at play. He insinuated that the reaction would have been different if the perpetrator had a Muslim name, like "Asad". According to NDTV India, Owaisi asked how Kishore dared to attack the CJI. He also questioned the Delhi police's failure to invoke the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against Kishore.

During questioning, Rakesh Kishore, a 71-year-old advocate, stated that he was unhappy with CJI Gavai's remarks during a hearing regarding the restoration of a Lord Vishnu idol in the Khajuraho Temple complex in Madhya Pradesh. Kishore reportedly cited the CJI's remarks on Sanatan Dharma as his motive.

Following the incident, the Bar Council of India (BCI) suspended Kishore from practicing in any court with immediate effect, stating that his conduct was inconsistent with the dignity of the court.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta condemned the incident as unfortunate and said that it was the result of misinformation on social media. He also expressed his appreciation for the CJI's calm reaction. CJI Gavai, remained composed and instructed the court's registrar general not to press charges. He told the lawyers to continue with their arguments and said that he was not distracted by the incident. "Don't get distracted by all this, we are not distracted, these things don't affect me," the CJI stated.

The incident has drawn condemnation from various political figures. Prime Minister Modi contacted CJI Gavai to express his dismay, stating that every Indian was angered by the attack and that such acts have no place in society. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge also condemned the act as unprecedented, shameful, and abhorrent. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated that the attack was the result of organized hate-mongering and ignoring growing intolerance.

The incident occurred during a hearing regarding a plea seeking the restoration of a Lord Vishnu idol at the Khajuraho temple complex in Madhya Pradesh. CJI Gavai had made a remark, which was interpreted by some as disrespectful to religious sentiments. He later clarified that he respects all religions and that his comments were made in the context of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) holding jurisdiction over the temple's upkeep.