Delhi pro-Naxal protests: Who is ‘independent journalist’ Saurav Das who backed Urban Naxals who raised pro-Maoist slogans during anti-pollution protests

Not too long ago, a group of Urban Naxals staged ‘anti-pollution’ protests in New Delhi wherein they raised banners and slogans in support of slain Naxal terrorist Madvi Hidma. These pro-Naxal protests were spearheaded by left-leaning student organisations Bhagat Singh Chhatra Ekta Manch (bsCEM) and The Himkhand.

OpIndia reported earlier that bsCEM is one of the 40+ organisations that formed a collective called “Campaign Against State Repression” or CASR. Among those who participated in or supported the pro-Naxal protests was Saurav Das, a self-declared ‘investigative journalist’.

Saurav Das, who often writes propaganda pieces on notorious leftist media outlets like The Caravan, Article 14, The Wire, and The Hindu’s Frontline, among others.

On 25^th November, Saurav Das published an X post supporting ‘kids’ who raised ‘Tum Kitne Hidma Maaroge, Har Ghar Se Hidma Niklega’ slogans similar to those raised by the infamous ‘Azadi’ gang for terrorist Afzal Guru, as “kids”. He also criticised the police for the national security charges against Urban Naxals for using pollution protests as a ruse to stage pro-Naxal agitation.

“High-handed action. Can nation’s security be threatened by a couple of kids sloganeering? Must give it to Indian police for frivolizing such serious provisions,” he wrote.

Das is also supporting another Congress’s student wing, NSUI-backed anti-pollution protest scheduled to be held on 3^rd December. It remains to be seen if this protest will be a genuine anti-pollution demonstration or yet another pro-Naxal gimmick.

Saurav Das wrote a hit piece against former CJI DY Chandrachud

Left liberals have a knack for lionising anyone who slanders the Modi government or whoever they deem ideological detractors, before turning on them for perceived ‘deviations’. Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, whose perception arc went from being a blue-eyed liberal hero to a sophisticated subscriber of ‘Hindu right-wing ideology’. When Chandrachud retired, the same liberal lobby that once hailed him a hero came out to slander him.

Last year, Saurav Das also jumped on the bandwagon and wrote a hit job against the former CJI in the leftist propaganda outlet, The Caravan. The article titled “Performative Justice: The equivocations of DY Chandrachud”, relied primarily on anonymous sources to reach the same conclusion. To lend credence to the elaborate ‘character sketch’ of the outgoing CJI, 2 alleged Supreme Court judges and their supposed comments were also incorporated.

In an attempt to draw a ‘character sketch’ of ex-CJI Chandrachud, Saurav Das ended up writing a long rant, rather, a complaint letter. As Chandrachud attended Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Ganesh Chaturthi pooja last year, Saurav Das framed it as a ‘betrayal’ of constitutional ethos and evidence of India’s slide towards ‘Hindu Rashtra’.

Das further lamented how the left-liberal ecosystem expected former CJIs and outgoing DY Chandrachud to toe their line but was let down by their verdict. The Caravan columnist alluded that DY Chandrachud facilitated judgments in favour of the Centre by handling cases to ‘pro-Modi’ Judges. He further suggested that the outgoing CJI got an easy entry to the Supreme Court owing to nepotism and engaged in ‘bench-fixing’ by handling important cases to judges not aligned with its ideology.

In his article, Saurav Das also cried hoarse over the Ram Janmabhoomi verdict of 2019 and the decision to kick open the Gyanvapi mosque to the Archaeological Survey of India and the 2020 anti-Hindu Delhi Riots accused mastermind Umar Khalid’s prolonged incarceration.

Saurav Das’s earlier hit job on Justice Bela Trivedi

Before Saurav Das launched his hit job on former CJI DY Chandrachud, he had already test-fired the formula on Justice Bela M Trivedi through a December 2023 piece on the propaganda website Article 14. The piece was dressed up as a “roster investigation” in which he claimed that eight politically sensitive cases, including Umar Khalid’s bail, UAPA challenges, DK Shivakumar’s disproportionate assets case, Chandrababu Naidu’s skill-development matter and others, were “moved” to Justice Trivedi in violation of Supreme Court convention.

Routine administrative listing under the CJI’s roster powers was projected as a conspiracy, aided by insinuations about her past service in the Gujarat government to suggest she was somehow aligned with the ruling establishment. Das relied on selective quotes from the usual left-liberal voices to manufacture concern, weaponised technical rules like “first coram” and “similar matters” while conveniently ignoring that these rules operate under the CJI’s overriding administrative authority and framed normal case-tagging as a crisis of judicial independence.

His intention was clear. Saurav Das wanted to delegitimise the judge in advance so that any adverse order against the Islamo-leftist ecosystem could be dismissed as compromised. This hit job on Justice Trivedi set the narrative template that Das later recycled, with even greater hostility, against former CJI Chandrachud.

‘Independent journalist’ Saurav Das received dubious funding from the Thakur Family Foundation

Unsurprisingly, Saurav Das is not an ‘independent’ journalist as he claimed to be. Das received grants from the controversial Thakur Family Foundation in 2021. As per the information published on the Foundation’s website, Das received a grant “to report issues related to public health in India.”

However, despite receiving funding for reporting on issues related to public healthcare, Das wrote articles targeting the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh and peddled propaganda on the Pegasus spyware.

The TFF’s website included links to two of Das’ works, one of which is apparently removed, and the other is an article published in Article 14, about the Pegasus spyware controversy.

Not to forget, the opposition parties and their supportive ecosystem had made a huge hue and cry over the Israeli spyware allegedly being used by the Modi government to snoop on opposition leaders; however, the Supreme Court-appointed committee concluded that the Israeli spyware was not found in the 29 mobile phones it examined.

Saurav Das also received another grant under the ‘public health’ category from the Thakur Family Foundation in 2023.

Notably, the Thakur Family Foundation Inc. is a United States 501 (c)(3) organisation founded by Dinesh Thakur. It claims to work in the areas of public health and civil liberties. Based in St. Petersburg, Florida, the Foundation invests in capacity building for an empowered society through participative, socially-just governance. The so-called public health activist, Dinesh Thakur, has been allegedly targeting the Indian pharmaceutical sector for years, spreading and amplifying negative news about the industry.

Interestingly, the Thakur Family Foundation also funds the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), a so-called electoral reform NGO that also received funding from known Modi detractor and regime change specialist George Soros. The Thakur Family Foundation also funds The Wire, the propaganda portal that has been forced to remove fake stories against the BJP and the Modi government after they were exposed. It also backs The Caravan, the ultra-left portal Saurav Das often writes propaganda pieces for. The Foundation further funds several journalists who have written multiple negative stories on India, particularly on the handling of COVID-19.

Saurav Das supported Pakistan-linked anti-Hindu X handle ‘Hindutva Watch’

Saurav Das’s outrageous activities are not confined to peddling anti-India propaganda and supporting Naxals but extend to backing Pakistan-linked anti-Hindu propagandists. In 2024, when the Indian government banned the X handle ‘Hindutva Watch’, Saurav Das came out in its support, and asked if the X handle was targeted because “they document cases of hate speech and how the far right in India is posing a threat to a secular, peaceful society?”

However, Saurav Das did not mention that the Hindutva Watch handle was operated by a man named Raqib Hameed Naik and had direct links with Pakistan’s ruling party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). Naik was reportedly found to have links with one Sardar Adil Kayani, the same man who ran PML-N’s propaganda in Pakistan.

The account was withheld in India after gaining notoriety for its lopsided coverage of events in India, including its practice of distorting facts and maligning Hindu leaders who unabashedly wear their Hindu identity on their sleeves, most notably leaders such as T Raja Singh, Kajal Hindustani, and several others who have been championing the cause of Hindus.

In 2023, the Maharashtra Police filed an FIR against ‘Hindutva Watch’ for spreading fake news and attempting to incite riots during the violence that erupted in Kolhapur city over controversial social media stories hailing Islamic tyrants like Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan when the state celebrated the 350th Rajyabhishek Day of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

The account often used ambiguous expressions such as “extreme hate speech” without bothering to explain how spitting facts is the dissemination of hatred, was routinely quoted by usual suspects, including ‘fact-checker’ Mohammed Zubair and members of the leftwing ecosystem, for whom projecting India in a bad light has been a constant exercise ever since PM Modi came to power in 2014 general elections.

Das also wrote an article for Article 14, another Thakur Family Foundation-funded propaganda outlet, accusing the Modi government of censoring critical voices, including journalists, foreign news reports, media websites and investigative documentaries like BBC’s anti-Modi documentary and ‘hate trackers’ like Hindutva Watch.

Saurav Das labelled the 2020 anti-Hindu Delhi Riots as ‘Hindutva game plan’

In February 2020, when Islamists and their leftist cheerleaders staged massive protests in Delhi against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and unleashed riots, Saurav Das dubbed the Islamist-orchestrated violence as ‘Hindutva game plan’.

“This is the new Hindutva gameplan. Raise militants through hatred. Order them to create violence and possibly kill the other non-violent group. Then when they clash, ask the pliable Police force to stand down. Then watch the show. Modi-Shah Model of New India,” he wrote.

Saurav Das’s heart bleeds for Umar Khalid

No wonder, Saurav Das, who called the Islamist-orchestrated 2020 anti-Hindu Delhi Riots a ‘Hindutva gameplan’, has consistently been supporting the accused mastermind of the riots, Umar Khalid.

In one of the many X posts supporting Umar Khalid, Das wrote, “Almost 1500 days since Umar Khalid was jailed. Many other political prisoners, too. The manner in which the judiciary is treating their cases deserves scrutiny. Accountability of judges is the need of the hour. The Members of Parliament need to step in.”

Notably, Islamo-leftists have long been peddling propaganda that Umar Khalid is ‘a political prisoner’ who has been ‘unfairly incarcerated’ for the last five years, for voicing dissent and somehow for religious identity. However, contrary to the false narrative peddled by Islamo-leftists to garner support and sympathy for Umar Khalid, OpIndia has reported earlier that out of the 14 adjournments in 2023 and 2024, 7 delays and adjournments were sought by Umar Khalid himself.

It therefore becomes evident that the withdrawal was certainly not because of the famed “delay” in hearing. While the Islamo-leftist ecosystem continues to cry ‘injustice’, it is the alleged failed forum shopping attempts of the accused’s lawyer that have Khalid rotting in jail for so long.

In fact, former Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, had also said earlier this year that the real problem lies in the mindset of some lawyers and political groups who want their cases heard only by certain judges. Highlighting what OpIndia has reported multiple times, the former CJI said that court records showed that Khalid’s legal team, led by Sibal, had sought at least seven adjournments before finally withdrawing the bail plea in February 2024, citing “a change in circumstances.”

Das has also been downplaying Umar Khalid’s role in planning and inciting the anti-Hindu riots in 2020, often by throwing shade on judges involved in hearing his case.

Saurav Das backed Gulfisha Fatima

In addition to supporting Umar Khalid, Saurav Das has also backed Gulfisha Fatima, another accused in the Delhi Riots case. In one of the social media posts, Das highlighted the number of days she has been incarcerated.

While the Islamo-leftists often call Gulfisha Fatima a ‘political prisoner’ and hail her a hero, Fatima is no political prisoner but is accused of gathering around 300 women at Seelampur, Jafrabad and mobilising them to block the road at Jafrabad Metro Station during the Delhi riots in 2020. She is accused of inciting them to attack the police using chilli powder, stones, sticks and other dangerous articles, which were allegedly provided by Fatima and the co-accused persons.

On directions of Umar Khalid, Gulfisha Fatima stockpiled red chilli powder, acid, bottles, and sticks, which were to be used when the planned riots began. The prosecution also alleged that Fatima, along with co-accused persons, organised violent protests against the CAA/NRC and, on 22^nd February 2020, blocked the road under the Jafrabad Metro Station after instigating women to attack the Police. She was arrested by the Jafrabad Police in this case. She is also accused of involvement in receiving funds from the co-accused AAP councillor at that time, Tahir Hussain, for utilising them in the riots. The defence, however, contended that the allegations of Tahir Hussain giving money to Fatima for illegal purposes are “uncorroborated”.

Saurav Das’s meltdown over Ayodhya Ram Mandir

January 2024 came as a month marked by a huge civilisational and Dharmic victory for the Hindus as a 500-year-long battle of resistance and reclamation of the birthplace of Lord Ram in Ayodhya came to its end. While the Hindus rejoiced, Islamists and their docile leftist supporters cried ‘India’s social fabric ripped apart’, ‘collapse of democracy’, ‘not the India I grew up in’ and whatnot.

Penned my thoughts. pic.twitter.com/fVG0C8C9zU

— Saurav Das (@SauravDassss) January 23, 2024

Saurav Das also expressed his thoughts. He asked Hindus not to look for “new temples” under every other mosque and advised against asking Muslims to “repay” for something that happened in the past, before chanting Jai Shri Ram. Das asked Hindus not to use history to destroy today’s social fabric; however, he did not advise Muslims, who are essentially the descendants of Hindus, who were forcibly converted to Islam, not to glorify Islamic tyrants and identify them as their ancestors.

Also, Hindus have not been on the quest of finding “new temples” underneath mosques. Be it the Ram Mandir, the Krishan Janmabhoomi in Mathura, Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi or Harihar Mandir in Sambha, Hindus are seeking legal remedy only to reclaim temples which were destroyed and/or encroached upon by Islamic tyrants and later on, by Muslims.

Saurav Das against the prosecution of ‘finest intellectual’ Arundhati Roy

Islamo-leftists support and glorify even anti-national voices, as long as they subscribe to their core ideological principles. In June 2024, when the Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena granted permission to prosecute author Arundhati Roy under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for her provocative speech at a 2010 event, Saurav Das opposed it and said, ““Mother of Democracy” sanctioning prosecution against its finest intellectuals under a terrorism law. Shame.”

Notably, in the 2010 event, alongside Arundhati Roy, Sheikh Showkat Hussain and late Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, SAR Geelani (the anchor of the conference and a prime accused in the Parliament attack case), and Varavara Rao were also present.

It was alleged that Geelani and Arundhati Roy strongly asserted that Kashmir was never part of India, was forcibly occupied by the Indian Armed Forces, and that every effort should be made for the independence of Jammu and Kashmir from India.

Clearly, Saurav Das supports ‘finest intellectuals’ who seek to separate Kashmir from India.

Saurav Das hailed Naxal ideologue GN Saibaba a ‘hero’

In the past, Saurav Das has also extended support to GN Saibaba, a convicted Naxal ideologue. In one such post supporting Saibaba last year, Das wrote, “Unfortunately, no one. Saibaba has been a victim of a vindictive system that was determined to ensure he dies early. Yet, little did the system realise that his ideas, his resistance, his courage were immortal. They will be remembered for decades to come.”

Notably, GN Saibaba, a professor of English in Ram Lal Anand College of the Delhi University, was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Gadhchiroli sessions court in 2017 for waging war against India for his Maoist links and involvement in anti-national activities. He was convicted under sections 13, 18, 20, 38 and 39 of the UAPA.

G N Saibaba was first arrested in May 2014 on charges of being a member of the banned CPI-Maoists plus providing logistics and carrying out recruitment for them. He was then provided bail for three months on 30th June 2015 in view of his worsening health. He was given bail again in August 2016, this time by the Supreme Court against the wishes of the Maharashtra Government, which thought freeing Saibaba would render him free to propagate his views and brainwash students.

Conclusion

Saurav Das is neither independent nor a journalist. He is simply a leftist propagandist pushing the Islamo-leftist agenda and backing anti-India elements in the name of fighting for the constitution, democracy, the social fabric of India, and whatnot.