By Suresh Mathew
New Delhi: “I am not a silent spectator, I am part of the game, and I am ready to pay the price.” Thus sang the caged bird before paying the biggest price by his own life. Yes, Stan Swamy, the prophet, is no more. He attained martyrdom. His voice has been silenced. More importantly, countless number of Tribals, Dalits, poor and marginalized people too lost their voice; because he was their voice. In him they had found a savior. Now the poor are left poorer in his absence.
The questions that beg for answer are many: Why did Father Stan have to die as a prisoner charged under various sections of the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act? What anti-national and seditious activities were he involved in? Why didn’t he get bail even nine months after his incarceration despite being terminally ill?
The answers to these are clear to any discerning minds. He was a thorn in the side of the government because he spoke against those who pulverized human rights; he expressed a contrarian view; his voice in support of the exploited Adivasis made the government, the ruling party and corporate houses uncomfortable. So they decided to put the saintly person behind bars, tagging him as anti-national and Maoist.
There is ample proof for the vengeful act of the government agencies. He was arrested under the draconian UAPA, but mysteriously the National Investigation Agency did not seek his custody even for a day for questioning him; because there was nothing to investigate.
He supported the cause of the exploited and subjugated indigenous and marginalized people which is no anti-national activity. He stood for the land rights of those whose land was being snatched away. He sided with the indigenous people who struggled to protect their gram sabha culture. These could not be used as proof to nail him. Hence they went on to ‘manufacture’ proof that would establish Father Stan’s nexus with Maoists and his role in the Bhima Koregaon case. They did it by reportedly planting materials in his computer.
Father Stan’s death is a sad commentary on the justice delivery system in the country. It took 20 days for the octogenarian, suffering from Parkinson’s disease, to get a straw sipper to drink water. Apparently, every system, every investigating agency was pressured and manipulated to take dictates ‘from the above’ to make sure that Father Stan did not see the light of the day outside the prison bars.
Basic human rights were denied to him without any rhyme or reason. He was a victim of violation of his rights which tells a lot about the ‘defaced’ democracy in the country. His incarceration speaks volumes of a broken prison system with an inhuman face. That is why in a video conference before the Bombay High Court he described how his body has been ravaged in Taloja jail.
Father Stan’s death in custody is a fit case for the National Human Right Commission to initiate a probe to ascertain the causes behind it. It warrants a judicial probe to find out the culpability of those involved in the tragic episode. His martyrdom should pave the way for the release of those languishing in jail on cooked-up charges. In death, Fr. Stan has opened a new path to those fighting for noble causes. His last breath has infused more life into the valiant fighters in their struggle against the heavy hand of the State.
(Capuchin Father Suresh Mathew is the Editor of Indian Currents weekly published from New Delhi)