India, Oct. 7 -- Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar strongly condemned the incident in which a lawyer attempted to hurl a shoe at Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, calling the CJI the "pride of Maharashtra" and terming the act an attack on democracy and the judiciary.

In a statement issued late Monday night, Pawar said the Supreme Court is the supreme temple of India's judicial system and that any attack on the judiciary or judges amounts to an assault on the fundamental principles of democracy. "There is no place for such incidents in our democracy. Preserving the dignity of the judiciary is every Indian's moral responsibility. Strict action must be taken against those responsible," Pawar said.

Meanwhile, the opposition NCP (S...