PRESS RELEASE
The Council for Social Justice and Peace (CSJP) is aghast and distraught on learning about the arrest of 83-year-old Jesuit priest Fr. Stan Swamy by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) with total disregard for the dignity and rights of an acclaimed human rights crusader. It is well known that the Catholic priest has devoted almost five decades of his life in lobbying and advocating for the rights of the Adivasis, especially their land rights in the State of Jharkhand. Standing with the oppressed and voiceless sections of society has been Fr. Stan\’s spiritual duty of bearing witness to the central mission of his Christian faith and his calling to priesthood, which is about serving the poor and marginalised to promote social justice and peace, andcannot be equated with any political ideology and militant organisation. To question the validity, legality and justness of several steps taken by the government in defence of the human rights of the voiceless and victimised sections of society is the essence of any religion and also of our Indian Constitution, and should not be construed as sedition.
When the nation has just observed the 151st birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on October 2, it is shameful that in independent democratic India an octogenarian who suffers from several morbidities is arrested from his home after dusk by the intelligence agencies and flown out of the State overnightin what appears to be malicious accusations of having links with some alleged political conspiracy. In such times ofa life threatening Covid19 pandemic and SOPs requiring citizens above 65 years of age to remain at home, such insensitive and high-handed behaviour of a national government agency poses a grave threat to the life of this Catholic priest. Fr. Stan was no absconder from the law neither a terrorist, and has fully cooperated with investigating agencies in the months of July-August 2020 by even providing detailed statements to prove his non-involvement in any conspiracy.
The humiliation and harassment meted out to Fr. Stan gives the impression of a vicious design of the Union Government to target the progressive work of the Christian community, which has always been recognised as a body of loyal, law abiding and service minded citizens committed to nation building and actively supporting several of the Government’s social welfare programs. There is now an apprehension in the community that by falsely implicating and dragging Fr. Stan into an alleged criminal conspiracy of a political organisation, there is an attempt to brand Christians as anti-nationals and manufacture grounds to deny them their political space and curtail democratic rights and privileges.
The Council appeals to the Government of India to immediately release the human rights crusader Fr. Stan Swamy and allow him to return home. The Government must ensure that the rights, duties and privileges of citizens across religions are safeguarded, and an atmosphere of peace and harmony in society is ensured.
Sd/-
Fr. Savio Fernandes
Executive Secretary
Council for Social Justice and Peace