Clarification Amid Controversy

Former Supreme Court judge Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul has strongly denied allegations that he was mentoring Saurav Das, an activist associated with the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). In a recent media interview, Justice Kaul addressed a circulating photograph featuring him and Das, clarifying that the image was captured during a Diwali gathering approximately a year ago before Das gained wider prominence in public movements.

"This was one year ago. He was not even in the news then," Justice Kaul stated, detailing the context of the encounter. According to the former judge, Das—who previously worked as a legal journalist—had persistently invited him to drop by during the festive season.

The Context of the Photograph

Describing the brief interaction, Justice Kaul explained that he had initially planned to visit another location when he agreed to make a short stopover.

"He was a journalist; maybe met me a couple of times. He was insistent that I must come at Diwali time. I was going somewhere else. I said, 'Okay, I'll drop in for ten minutes.' I told my wife, 'Have a cup of coffee; I'll drop in for ten minutes, and then we'll go.' That's all that happened," Justice Kaul said.

The CJP movement, founded by Abhijeet Dipke, has recently been at the center of several high-profile demonstrations, including protests directed at the Election Commission and campaigns surrounding competitive examination paper leaks.

Generational Divide on Language and Discourse

While flatly rejecting claims of mentorship, Justice Kaul acknowledged that he had previously advised Das regarding his choice of public language. He noted that the tone adopted by younger activists often creates a sense of discomfort for older generations accustomed to more formal and restrained discourse.

"I was not mentoring him, but once or twice he met me, I told him that I will always tell you to taper down a little in your language. That's my view, because we belong to a generation where talking is in far more civil language when it happens," Justice Kaul remarked.

He added that such linguistic shifts can sometimes cause genuine hurt or friction, emphasizing a personal belief that contemporary public figures and activists might benefit from exercising greater restraint in their communication.

Reported exclusively by Gaurav Sen for Daily News 365.