Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai on Thursday said he had “respect for all religions”, as he sought to address mounting criticism of his September 16 remark that a petitioner pray to Lord Vishnu himself for the restoration of the God’s beheaded idol at the Javari temple in Khajuraho.

“You say you are a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu, then go and pray to the deity,” CJI Gavai had orally remarked to the counsel appearing for Rakesh Dalal, who had sought the restoration of Lord Vishnu’s idol that was allegedly destroyed and beheaded by Mughal invaders. The CJI dismissed the petition.

Justice Gavai faced a backlash on social media. Two Supreme Court advocates, Vineet Jindal and Satyam Singh Rajput, on Wednesday wrote to CJI Gavai, urging him to withdraw his remarks as they had hurt the sentiments of millions of Hindus across the country.

During the hearing of a matter on Thursday relating to illegal mining in Karnataka, Justice Gavai told lawyers that these days everything gets distorted on social media.

“Nowadays it can be anything on social media. Someone told me that I had dismissed a petition.... I believe in all religions, I respect all...,” Justice Gavai said while referring to his comments and explaining that he did not mean to hurt anyone’s sentiments.

Solicitor-general Tushar Mehta said he knew CJI Gavai for over a decade. “Your Lordship visits temples, gurdwaras and places of religion with reverence,” Mehta said.

He added: “This is a serious issue (social media trolls)…. We all know about Newton’s law that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Now every action has a disproportionate social media reaction!”

Justice K. Vinod Chandran, the other judge on the bench, said even he had received enquiries after he withdrew from hearing a case relating to the Vedanta group. Justice Chandran said that prior to becoming a judge he had appeared for another company, but people started asking him whether he had any holdings in the Vedanta group.