Members of the Hindu diaspora in the United States gathered at Times Square, New York City, to protest remarks made by Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai regarding the restoration of a seven-foot idol of Lord Vishnu at Khajuraho’s Javari temple. The demonstration, organised by the advocacy group Stop Hindu Genocide, featured a digital billboard campaign and a public rally urging greater sensitivity and respect toward Hindu beliefs.
The campaign began on November 8 in Duffy Square and is scheduled to continue through November 12. It coincided with the publication of an open letter addressed to CJI Gavai, available on the organisation’s website, StopHinduGenocide.org. The letter referred to comments the CJI allegedly made during a September 16 Supreme Court hearing concerning a petition to restore the Lord Vishnu idol managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
During that hearing, CJI Gavai reportedly told the petitioner, “Go and ask the deity itself to do something now. You say you are a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu. So go and pray now. It’s an archaeological site and ASI needs to give permission.” Protesters described the remark as “dismissive” and “disrespectful” toward Hindu religious sentiments.
Digital billboards displayed across Times Square carried messages calling for accountability and cultural sensitivity from India’s judiciary. Participants—largely Hindu NRIs and Hindu Americans—held banners referencing earlier judicial decisions that they claim overlooked Hindu traditions and festivals.
The group’s open letter also mentioned previous rulings involving temple administration, religious practices, and festival restrictions, arguing that India’s courts must apply Article 25 of the Constitution, which protects the freedom of religion, with greater balance and contextual understanding.
In addition to CJI Gavai, the protest also named former Chief Justices DY Chandrachud and UU Lalit, retired Justice Abhay S Oka, and CJI-designate Justice Surya Kant, accusing them of failing to uphold religious sensitivity in several high-profile judgments.
A spokesperson for Stop Hindu Genocide said the campaign’s purpose was not confrontation but constructive engagement. “We are simply asking that India’s judiciary—one of the pillars of its democracy—treat Hindu faith with the same respect afforded to all religions,” said one participant.
According to organisers, similar awareness events and digital campaigns are being planned across other US cities to continue drawing attention to what they describe as “systemic disregard for Hindu sentiments in public institutions.”
