By Matters India Reporter

New Delhi: Christians and others across India observed July 28 as the National Justice Day to pay homage to Father Stan Swamy, a Jesuit human rights defender who died as pre-trial detainee in Mumbai.

They resolved to emulate Father Swamy to defend democracy and stand with the poor and marginalized whatever the cost.

Father Swamy, 84, died July 5 at Mumbai’s Holy Family Hospital where he was brought 38 days ago from Taloja Jail in the city as a Covid patient. He was arrested Oct 8 last year by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), India’s counter-terrorist task force, from his residence in Ranchi, capital of the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, for alleged terrorist activities, including a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Father Swamy was brought the same night to Mumbai, some 1,700 km southwest, and a court there sent to him jail the next day. Swamy was the oldest Indian arrested under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), India’s primary counter-terror law that many call draconian.

The call to observe July 28 as the National Justice Day came from Father Stanislaus D’Souza, president of the Jesuit Conference of South Asia. A press release from the head of more than 4,000 Jesuits in the region, called on he concerned citizens of India to pay their “deep respects to Fr. Stan Swamy and carry forward his legacy.”

Father Swamy’s death is “not an end” but a “moment of awakening in the journey to affirm our faith in the Constitution of our country,” Father D’Souza asserted.

He also pointed out that Father Swamy “stands tall today as an icon of justice to the marginalized. In his death, he has risen in the hearts of many as a cult figure. Through his lifelong accompaniment of the Adivasis, Dalits, and marginalized communities and by his martyrdom, he has given us a new ethical mandate to be compassionate, to be the voice of the voiceless and defenders of human rights, speaking truth to power.”

Cardinal Oswald Gracias, head of the Catholic Church in India, had also urged dioceses in the country to observe the day. “Each bishop can see what is most suitable for his region,” said the cardinal who added that a memorial service would help “keep alive in our hearts the desire to work for the poor and neglected.”

The call received tremendous support and solidarity from individuals, civil society organizations, dioceses, and religious congregations all over the country. To mark the day, a week-long campaign was conducted in various parts of India.

They demanded justice for Father Swamy’s custodial death, immediate and unconditional release of 15 others arrested with Father Swamy, repeal of UAPA and other draconian laws and the release of some 3,000 tribal youth booked under various extraordinary laws.

In Tripura, as many as 60 priests and nuns, who joined Bishop Lumon Monteiro of Agartala to observe the day, resolved to become like Father Swamy prophets in this challenging time.

“We pledge to carry forward Father Swamy’s legacy,” said the Holy Cross prelate while addressing the gathering at St Francis Xavier Cathedral in Agartala, capital city of the northeastern Indian state.

Bishop Monteiro also said, “We also stand here in solidarity with our fellow Indians, to pay our deep respects to Father Stan Swamy, who even though has left us, his spirit will always remain with us, inspiring and motivating us to protect human rights and democracy.”

Jesuit Father Irudhaya Jothi, the key resource person of the day, briefed about Father Swamy in the context of Tripura and stirred up the participants to dare to be different and take the side of the poor at all costs.

Jesuit Father Babu Paul, who animates the Jesuit team in Tripura, read out an oath that the participants recited with lighted candles. It read: “I, while thanking the Lord for giving us a ‘Prophet’ in the person of Fr. Stan Swamy SJ, pledge, that I shall read the Signs of the Times through the eyes of Faith, in relation to the Socio, Political, Economic and Cultural realities of our people, and raise moral and ethical questions regularly.”

In Guwahati, the commercial capital of Assam in the northeast, Archbishop John Moolachera of Guwahati, chairman of the Assam Christian Forum, joined members of the Legal Cell and other activists to observe the day at the Peace Centre.

In Patna, capital of Bihar state, St Xavier’s College of Management and Technology observed the day and pledged to to carry forward Father Swamy’s legacy. College principal Jesuit Father T Nishaant termed Father Swamy’s death as “custodial murder,” and added that many activists and the poor who have been wrongly incarcerated now seek justice.

Father Nishaant bemoaned that even the preamble of the Indian Constitution that outlines social, economic and political justice as its philosophy and objectives was not being practiced. “My country is on fire, there is none to put it off,” he said in Hindi as the concluding remark.

In Calcutta, a prayer service was held at the Archbishop’s House and St Xavier’s College.

The Calcutta archdiocese had urged it 65 parishes and institutions to organize prayer meetings for Father Swamy. Vicar general Father Dominic Gomes said the prayer meeting was to create awareness that “we can no longer be mere spectators, but it is time to plunge into action and raise our voices against the prevailing injustices.”

In Bhubaneswar, capital of Odisha state in eastern India, about 45 people led by Archbishop John Barwa of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar attended a solidarity prayer at St Vincent’s Pro-Cathedral Parish. They held lighted candles for 45 minutes from 6 pm as they paid homage to the Jesuit priest.

Father Swamy’s death “sparked national outrage and shock from individuals, civil society organizations, dioceses and religious congregations all over the country,” the Divine Word archbishop said.

The prelate said the observation of the national justice day has encouraged people to take forward Father Swamy’s legacy. “Indeed, Father Stan has raised a new generation of people with deep sensitivity and solidarity with the poor,” the tribal prelate added.

(With inputs from Sujata Jena, Allen Brooks, Purushottam Nayak)