Justine D’Silva
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (MS)
Udupi, Jul 13: Amrith Shenoy, social activist and chief of the Sahabalve organization said that Fr Stan Swamy’s death has confirmed that democracy exists only on paper in India.
Shenoy was speaking at a homage programme held for the soul of human rights activist Fr Stan Swamy. He further said, “Cases are filed under draconian laws like UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967) and NSA on cartoonists and 18-year-old girl. The accusation that an 84-year-old elderly person hatched a plot to disturb the sovereignty of a country, which has a population of 137 crore, is totally absurd. Today, in India, the union government means Narendra Modi. Anyone who speaks or writes against Modi is considered a traitor.
“Fr Stan Swamy was a real patriot. Narendra Modi came to power just by continuously criticizing the UPA government. But now he puts everyone who criticizes him in prison. If we sit quietly even after watching such acts, BJP will bring a more fascist government than the British. They will create one more Jalianwala Bagh. This is a fight we have to undertake to protect our freedom."
Thinker Faniraj, who participated in the programme, said, “Fr Stan Swamy, who saw that the fundamental right of Jal-Jungle-Zameen (water, forest and land) is being abused, studied the rights of Adivasis that are provided in the constitution of India and alerted the Adivasis. He did not make use of guns or swords but fought in a constitutional manner. Fr Stan Swamy did not participate in the Bhima Koregaon meeting at all. Even then an FIR was filed on him accusing him of being the reason for the chaos.
“After NIA arrested Stan Swamy, they did not even inquire him for half an hour and sent him to Taloja prison. We have to ask the question as to who is going to bear the responsibility for the untimely death of Fr Stan Swamy? 15 people were arrested without any evidence under UAPA in the Bhima Koregaon case.”
Former minister Vinaya Kumar Sorake, DSS leader Sundar Master, Congress leaders Ramesh Kanchan, Veronica Cornelio, Prashant Jathanna, Ganesh Nergi, Roshini Olivera, thinker Fr William Martis, Fr Chethan Lobo, president of Catholic Sabha Udupi Pradesh Mary D’Souza and others were present.