Written by: Shreya (Intern)
Edited by: Anubhav Yadav (Content Head & Developer)
INTRODUCTION
On 5th July at 1:30 p.m father Stan Swamy passed away at the Holy Family hospital in Bandra. He was born on 24th April, 1937 in Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu. He was also known as Stanislaus Lourduswamy. He was a tribal rights activist, Indian Roman Catholic priest and a member of a Jesuit. He aimed s to work among the poor people, Dalits, Adivasis, Harijans, Mahadalits and backward classes because he believed that they have also the right to live their life happily with dignity and honor.
ISSUES
On 8th October, 2020 he was arrested by National Investigation Agency under unlawful activities prevention act for a violent act in Bhima Koregaon case, 2018. It is a very famous case which was held on 1st January, 2018 where lakhs of Dalits gathered to mark the 200th anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon battle of 1818 and when inflammatory speeches were made violence broke out. The government’s National Investigation Agency arrested Stan Swamy and 15 others activists. Now, the question arises here what the violent act was done by Stan Swamy. So, he was a member of banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) and was invaded in a conspiracy to investigate caste violence. In Tihar jail, Swamy endured severe health issues and torture when he sought a straw and supper in prison that was seized. Ramachandra Guha called the death of Swamy is not just death but it is “a case of judicial murder”, he also said that he deserved justice.
He was suffering from Parkinson disease. During his arrest, he cited hand tremor because of his Parkinson disease and filed a plea but National Investigation Agency (NIA) had rejected his plea because of the specific nature of charges. It was noteworthy that the court took 20 days to listen to his plea/submission. In May, Swamy had tested positive for COVID-19 and his health was deteriorating day by day. So lastly, he was shifted to the Holy Family Hospital from Taloja central jail for treatment as per order by the Bombay High Court. His health was regularly going down due to a lack of care. On Saturday he was shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after the cardiac arrest. His health and medical treatment were regularly monitored by the courts. At last, Swamy said that he wants to die among his people in Ranchi not in hospital and he requested interim bail. The Judges did not pass any order on his request. Desai further reported to the judges that his father’s ultimate desire is if, he died then his dead body would be handed over to a priest Fr. Frazer Francis because he doesn’t have a family.
Swamy’s senior advocate Mihir Desai brought a notice of the Bombay High Court judges Justice S.S. Shinde and Justice N.J. Jamdar about the development when his bail plea came up for hearing on Monday afternoon. But unfortunately, father died. When the bench heard about the death of Swamy they expressed that we are shocked to hear this news and we have no words to express our condolence.