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Right-wing attack against CJI Gavai | The power of cults in Indian politics | South Central 46

In this episode of South Central, hosts Dhanya Rajendran and Pooja Prasanna discuss whether the attack on the Chief Justice of India, BR Gavai, is more than what just meets the eye and also look at the power of cults in politics and the power of fans when stars become politicians.

Dhanya Rajendran, Pooja Prasanna

Published:10th Oct, 2025 at 5:36 PM

In this episode of South Central, hosts Dhanya Rajendran and Pooja Prasanna first discuss whether the attack on the Chief Justice of India, BR Gavai, is more than what just meets the eye. Justice Gavai is the second Dalit CJI of India. The hosts are joined by Ajoy Ashirwad, Political Affairs Editor, The Wire, and veteran journalist K Venkataramanan.

Dhanya starts off the discussion by detailing how a senior advocate named Rakesh Kishore tried to hurl a shoe at the Chief Justice. “He gave an interview, stating the attack was calculated. He said he was upset about what the CJI had said in a case of a damaged idol of Lord Vishnu in Madhya Pradesh, which angered the right wing quite a bit. It also triggered calls for an attack on the CJI on social media,” she says.

Ajoy says that on the day the attack happened, there was not much coverage around it. “The CJI is the highest chair in the judiciary. Now, we find that there were people taking exception to a Dalit being elevated to the position of the CJI. Ever since Gavai became CJI, social media right-wing warriors have been constantly trying to project him as anti-Hindu and pro-other religions. I now feel like this attack was waiting to happen,” he points out.

“A decade ago, this would have been seen as an attack on the judiciary, even if he were not a Dalit. But now, it looks like it is an attack on Justice Gavai, which gives it a casteist colour,” Ajoy adds.

Pooja points out that Justice Gavai is not only a Dalit but also an Ambedkarite CJI. “What is so offensive that it warrants throwing a chappal at the CJI. And there is no remorse, the attacker responds like a hero,” she says.

K Venkataramanan says that this entire incident was perpetrated with the goal of positioning this as an insult to Hindutva. “I feel this incident was planned to create a narrative about whether the Sanatana Dharma is under attack, by contriving the CJI’s remarks,” he says.

“This event, whether planned that way or not, was used to polarise the society and prejudice future judicial decisions on Hindu temples and other matters,” he adds.

Ajoy Ahirwad says that an influencer created an AI video of Justice Gavai, calling for his removal from the position. “If this is not offensive, I do not know what is offensive to the government,” he adds. He also says that there is a general tendency to polarise debates into a pro-Hindutva or anti-Hindutva mould.

In the second part of the session, the hosts and guests discuss the power of cults in politics and the power of fans when stars become politicians.

Dhanya says that post the Karur stampede, during actor Vijay’s TVK rally, there have been discussions about how the people who turn up are not politicised, they are just fans, like those who came to meet an MGR or a Jaya Lalitha.

K Venkataramanan says that MGR cannot be compared with anyone else. “It is well-known that he often intervened to depict a character on screen in a good light to project a respectable image. The same criticism we now see against Vijay was also levelled against MGR. The core philosophy of his party was drawn from the Dravidian movement. But the masses do have power; we cannot underestimate the masses. But we do not know if this is the same in the case of Vijay,” he says.

He also points out that in the earlier generation of politicians who came from the film field, very few who started their own party became really successful.

Pooja adds that Vijay perhaps cannot be compared with any of the stalwarts in Tamil Nadu. “Maybe Pawan Kalyan in the neighbouring state is a comparison. Vijay focuses on himself in his rallies, and that is a bad precedent for a democracy,” she says.

Ajoy says that Vijay is an interesting character, especially in a time when actors like Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth have failed. “Vijay’s politics, unlike the others, is trying to address things like the leadership vacuum. He is a political competitor of Udhayanidhi Stalin in the future, perhaps, because Udayanidhi also uses his films like Maamannan to project his politics,” he adds.

“He is not just talking anti-Brahminical roots of the Dravidian movement, but also today’s problems like youth’s joblessness, technology, economy, and the like, and perhaps he is here to stay,” Ajoy adds.

Dhanya asks why people want to vote for stars when it comes to a democracy, without any prior party or ideological backup.

Pooja adds that people may not necessarily vote based on ideologies and that stars wield a more sentimental connection that resonates with several people across the board.

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Audio Timecodes

00:00:00- Introduction

00:02:42 - Headlines

00:13:56 - CJI Gavai Attack

00:43:02- Power of Cults in Politics