CJI B R Gavai
Credit: PTI Photo
Bengaluru: Students and faculty members of Bangalore University (BU) staged a protest condemning the attempt to hurl a shoe at Chief Justice of India (CJI) B R Gavai, at the Jnanabharathi campus on Thursday.
The protest was called by BU's postgraduate and research scholars' union.
Calling this act anti constitutional, hundreds of students and faculty members marched from Dr B R Ambedkar library, wearing black armbands, and gathered in front of the administrative office, raising slogans against the act.
Senior faculty member B N Muralidhar said, "Throwing a slipper at the Chief Justice is not merely an act against an individual, but a reflection of a mindset that must be opposed. We must fight against such a mentality and eradicate it completely. As Kuvempu envisioned, we must move towards universal humanism. The next generation should not inherit or continue this mindset. Everyone must condemn this incident and work towards building an equal society".
Addressing the gathering, Satish G K, president of the union, said, "This is an anti-national offence, and a case of sedition must be filed against the advocate involved. He should be either deported from the country or awarded capital punishment. This is part of a conspiracy by regressive forces, but the marginalized communities need not fear — we, as a united society, strongly condemn this act".
Later, the union submitted a memorandum to Dr Jayakara S M, the BU vice-chancellor, urging that a resolution condemning the incident be passed in the Academic Council and Syndicate meetings of the university.
Jayakara said, "The entire nation must bow its head in shame over the act committed against the CJI. A resolution of condemnation will be passed in the Academic Council and Syndicate meetings".