TURA, July 6: Churches across various denominations in Garo Hills have expressed anguish over the demise of 84-year-old Jesuit priest Father Stan Swamy.
Priest-activist Swamy, arrested under an anti-terror law in the Elgar Parishad case, died at a Mumbai hospital on Monday in the middle of his fight for bail on health grounds. He, as per his lawyer, had been on a ventilator since Sunday after his health worsened rapidly.
Speaking to The Shillong Times on Tuesday, Auxiliary Bishop of Tura Rt Rev CJ Jose said, “His death has brought to light so many questions, about our judicial system, the way our jails are maintained, how bails are being granted. He was sent to a jail where it was overcrowded. The medical facilities in the jai were very poor. When you even apply for a bail it takes a long time. In Father Stan’s case, it took four months.”
“Our legal system says bail is the norm and not jail. In his case this was not being followed. A man of 84 years who needed healthcare, right to life and medical assistance under Article 21 was not provided his right due to the judicial system, because of red-tapism and the delay in hearing the bail petition. The entire process did not work well,” he regretted.
He pointed out that Swamy’s death could have been avoided and this incident has brought into attention the situation of our jails and the system. “This will be a point of debate and definitely there will be a rethink on many of these things,” believes the Auxiliary Bishop of Tura.
Many other Christian leaders and believers of the faith from the region also echoed him.
“Fr. Stan’s death is far from over. Certainly, there is a lot of pain and much more, fear and helplessness. What is more painful is that he is departing from us as a victim of the cruelty of the political system. Hundreds of years our forefathers fought for the freedom of our country. That is our history. But now, our country has reached a point where the very ones who have the responsibility to uphold our right to freedom and justice are denying it to us,” a Jesuit priest told this scribe.
The biggest Christian denomination in the Garo Hills — the Garo Baptist Convention — has also condemned the incident.
“When Father Stan was taken into custody last year, we all got together and held a candlelight vigil outside Tura circuit house, demanding his release. People from all walks of life came forward to take part in the vigil and support Fr Stan,” recalls Janang R Sangma, general secretary of the Garo Baptist Convention.
He also said how the Christian bodies from across the North East region joined hands under the banner of the North Eastern India Christian Council in Shillong and the United Christian Forum of India to demand the release of Swami.
According to Christian groups and followers in the region, the Centre’s use of the Unlawful (Activities) Prevention Act (UAPA), slapped on Swami and many others, is nothing short of silencing critics of the Modi government.
“Without trial, Father Stan was left imprisoned. As human beings, we all condemn it. Christians, being a minority, are being targeted with such acts,” concerned church leaders pointed out.
One of the seniormost GBC pastors, Dr Wetterfield R Marak, demanded that the truth be brought out on Swamy’s imprisonment.
“What has happened to Father Stan was either illegal or a homicide. The truth must be put out. Such evils like the UAPA must be rooted out from society. The crime committed against such an aged and ill human being needs to be condemned by everyone,” demanded Rev Wetterfield Marak, as he pointed out that there are many other laws in the country that could have been taken up.
President of the GBC’s Krima IV that oversees the religious activities of the Tura region, Pastor Abhik Arengh and Pastor Ringdon T Sangma of Rongkhon Baptist Church termed the arrest and incarceration of Swamy as a blot in the country’s democratic values which deserved condemnation by all right thinking citizens.
