India - 84-Year-Old Activist Stan Swamy Dies In Hospital Waiting For Bail

[jamahir]

84-Year-Old Activist Stan Swamy Dies In Hospital Waiting For Bail

Elgar Parishad Case: Stan Swamy had told the High Court via video-conferencing that his health had consistently declined at the Taloja prison in Navi Mumbai and if he was not granted interim bail, he "would die soon".

All India Reported by Saurabh Gupta, Edited by Deepshikha Ghosh Updated: July 05, 2021 7:20 pm IST

Elgar Parishad Case: Stan Swamy was being treated at Holy Family Hospital in Mumbai

New Delhi:
Stan Swamy, an 84-year-old priest-activist arrested under an anti-terror law in the Elgar Parishad case last year, died today in the middle of his fight for bail on health grounds. The Jesuit priest had been on a ventilator since yesterday when his health took a sharp turn for the worse.

Stan Swamy was being treated at the private Holy Family Hospital in Mumbai following a court order on May 28. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had suggested a government hospital, to which, he had said: "I'd rather die here in prison."

Jailed near Mumbai since October, Stan Swamy spent the last few months of his life fighting legal battles for even the smallest of needs. In December, he was allowed a straw and a sipper in jail, which he had requested in court on account of Parkinson's disease. He had requested medical treatment and interim bail multiple times.

The NIA, which arrested him in October from his home in a widely criticized late-night swoop, opposed his bail request in court and had said there was no "conclusive proof" of his medical ailments. The agency held firm to its argument that Stan Swamy was a Maoist who had plotted to cause unrest in the country.

Stan Swamy had told the High Court via video-conferencing that his health had consistently declined at the Taloja prison in Navi Mumbai and if he was not granted interim bail, he "would die soon".

Last week, Stan Swamy had filed a fresh plea for bail in the Bombay High Court, challenging the stringent conditions for bail to an accused charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). When the hearing started today, his lawyer told the High Court that the activist had died at 1.30 pm.

Messages and tributes poured in, with opposition parties and activists accusing the government of hounding the elderly activist.

UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Defenders, Mary Lawlor, shared his video along with a message: "The news from India today is devastating. Human Rights Defender and Jesuit priest Fr Stan Swamy has died in custody, nine months after his arrest on false charges of terrorism. Jailing HRDs (Human Rights Defenders) is inexcusable." EU'S Special Representative for Human Rights, Eamon Gilmore, also tweeted.

Stan Swamy had in the past complained to the court of poor health facilities in prison. He and other accused in the case had alleged neglect by prison officials in ensuring medical aid, tests, hygiene and social distancing in the time of Covid.

The Elgar Parishad case relates to an event on December 31, 2017 in Koregaon-Bhima near Pune, which was followed by violence and arson that left one person dead. Investigators claim that activists at the event, an Elgar Parishad meet, had made inflammatory speeches and provocative statements that led to violence the next day.

The NIA said senior leaders of the CPI (Maoist), a banned organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, were in contact with the organisers of the Elgar Parishad event as well as the arrested activists, and aimed to spread Maoist and Naxal ideology and encourage unlawful activities.

Stan Swamy, who had worked with tribals in Jharkhand for over five decades, was accused by the NIA of links to Naxals, especially the banned CPI (Maoists). He was arrested from his home in Jharkhand capital Ranchi by a team of NIA officials from Delhi. He had denied the charges and had flagged his health worries to investigators.

Two days before his arrest, he had said in a video statement: "They are even asking me to go to Mumbai for further interrogation, which I am refusing to go. Because of my age, I have certain ailments. There is the epidemic which is ravaging the country... This is something that I am communicating to them and let us hope that some human sense will prevail."

Several prominent activists, scholars and lawyers have spent over two years in jail as they wait for trial in the case.

Stan Swamy was the oldest to be arrested. He had also tested positive for the coronavirus at a private hospital last month and was subsequently shifted to the ICU.

---

Jamahir's comment : This activist was in the same jail ( Taloja ) that that poisonous, right-wing, crooked journalist Arnab Goswami was also jailed for some time. Snake Arnab was released but Father Stan Swamy was kept jailed despite his ailments ( he had asked for a drink sipper because he had Parkinson's disease ). Unfortunate.

Edit : Please watch this questioning vid in Hindi by the anchor of the YouTube channel Article19India. The vid fearlessly asks the surrounding facts regarding the death of Father Stan. Courtesy : @Drizzt.

---

@Joe Shearer @Naofumi @Drizzt @Goenitz

 

[rishav]

All communists who have links to naxals should meet the same fate .

 

[jamahir]

All communists who have links to naxals should meet the same fate .

As opposed to "great humanitarians" like Sadhvi Pragya, Yogi Adityanath, Lt. Col. Shrikant Purohit, the Sanatan Sanstha group, Arnab Goswami etc who were / are involved in "humanist" actions like bombings, assassinations, creating of right-wing lynchmob groups and generally spreading poison in society who should not be jailed but be celebrated by giving national awards ?

And to quibble, Father Stan Swamy wasn't a communist AFAIK.

 

[GHALIB]

84-Year-Old Activist Stan Swamy Dies In Hospital Waiting For Bail

Elgar Parishad Case: Stan Swamy had told the High Court via video-conferencing that his health had consistently declined at the Taloja prison in Navi Mumbai and if he was not granted interim bail, he "would die soon".

All India Reported by Saurabh Gupta, Edited by Deepshikha Ghosh Updated: July 05, 2021 7:20 pm IST

Elgar Parishad Case: Stan Swamy was being treated at Holy Family Hospital in Mumbai

New Delhi:
Stan Swamy, an 84-year-old priest-activist arrested under an anti-terror law in the Elgar Parishad case last year, died today in the middle of his fight for bail on health grounds. The Jesuit priest had been on a ventilator since yesterday when his health took a sharp turn for the worse.

Stan Swamy was being treated at the private Holy Family Hospital in Mumbai following a court order on May 28. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had suggested a government hospital, to which, he had said: "I'd rather die here in prison."

Jailed near Mumbai since October, Stan Swamy spent the last few months of his life fighting legal battles for even the smallest of needs. In December, he was allowed a straw and a sipper in jail, which he had requested in court on account of Parkinson's disease. He had requested medical treatment and interim bail multiple times.

The NIA, which arrested him in October from his home in a widely criticized late-night swoop, opposed his bail request in court and had said there was no "conclusive proof" of his medical ailments. The agency held firm to its argument that Stan Swamy was a Maoist who had plotted to cause unrest in the country.

Stan Swamy had told the High Court via video-conferencing that his health had consistently declined at the Taloja prison in Navi Mumbai and if he was not granted interim bail, he "would die soon".

Last week, Stan Swamy had filed a fresh plea for bail in the Bombay High Court, challenging the stringent conditions for bail to an accused charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). When the hearing started today, his lawyer told the High Court that the activist had died at 1.30 pm.
Messages and tributes poured in, with opposition parties and activists accusing the government of hounding the elderly activist.

UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Defenders, Mary Lawlor, shared his video along with a message: "The news from India today is devastating. Human Rights Defender and Jesuit priest Fr Stan Swamy has died in custody, nine months after his arrest on false charges of terrorism. Jailing HRDs (Human Rights Defenders) is inexcusable." EU'S Special Representative for Human Rights, Eamon Gilmore, also tweeted.

Stan Swamy had in the past complained to the court of poor health facilities in prison. He and other accused in the case had alleged neglect by prison officials in ensuring medical aid, tests, hygiene and social distancing in the time of Covid.

The Elgar Parishad case relates to an event on December 31, 2017 in Koregaon-Bhima near Pune, which was followed by violence and arson that left one person dead. Investigators claim that activists at the event, an Elgar Parishad meet, had made inflammatory speeches and provocative statements that led to violence the next day.

The NIA said senior leaders of the CPI (Maoist), a banned organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, were in contact with the organisers of the Elgar Parishad event as well as the arrested activists, and aimed to spread Maoist and Naxal ideology and encourage unlawful activities.

Stan Swamy, who had worked with tribals in Jharkhand for over five decades, was accused by the NIA of links to Naxals, especially the banned CPI (Maoists). He was arrested from his home in Jharkhand capital Ranchi by a team of NIA officials from Delhi. He had denied the charges and had flagged his health worries to investigators.

Two days before his arrest, he had said in a video statement: "They are even asking me to go to Mumbai for further interrogation, which I am refusing to go. Because of my age, I have certain ailments. There is the epidemic which is ravaging the country... This is something that I am communicating to them and let us hope that some human sense will prevail."

Several prominent activists, scholars and lawyers have spent over two years in jail as they wait for trial in the case.

Stan Swamy was the oldest to be arrested. He had also tested positive for the coronavirus at a private hospital last month and was subsequently shifted to the ICU.

---

Jamahir's comment : This activist was in the same jail ( Taloja ) that that poisonous, right-wing, crooked journalist Arnab Goswami was also jailed for some time. Snake Arnab was released but Father Stan Swamy was kept jailed despite his ailments ( he had asked for a drink sipper because he had Parkinson's disease ). Unfortunate.

---

@Joe Shearer @Naofumi @Drizzt @Goenitz

rest in peace swamy .

 

[GHALIB]

All communists who have links to naxals should meet the same fate .

As opposed to "great humanitarians" like Sadhvi Pragya, Yogi Adityanath, Lt. Col. Shrikant Purohit, the Sanatan Sanstha group, Arnab Goswami etc who were / are involved in "humanist" actions like bombings, assassinations, creating of right-wing lynchmob groups and generally spreading poison in society who should not be jailed but be celebrated by giving national awards ?

And to quibble, Father Stan Swamy wasn't a communist AFAIK.

we need a country free from religions , religion is opium for human kind , we need a communist country .

 

[-=virus=-]

Swamy wasn't a communist AFAIK.

a soul harvester, then ?

 

[GHALIB]

As opposed to "great humanitarians" like Sadhvi Pragya, Yogi Adityanath, Lt. Col. Shrikant Purohit, the Sanatan Sanstha group, Arnab Goswami etc who were / are involved in "humanist" actions like bombings, assassinations, creating of right-wing lynchmob groups and generally spreading poison in society who should not be jailed but be celebrated by giving national awards ?

And to quibble, Father Stan Swamy wasn't a communist AFAIK.

sadhvi pragya and purohit are criminals .

 

[jamahir]

a soul harvester, then ?

He was respected by progressive activists.

 

[Fireurimagination]

As opposed to "great humanitarians" like Sadhvi Pragya, Yogi Adityanath, Lt. Col. Shrikant Purohit, the Sanatan Sanstha group, Arnab Goswami etc who were / are involved in "humanist" actions like bombings, assassinations, creating of right-wing lynchmob groups and generally spreading poison in society who should not be jailed but be celebrated by giving national awards ?

And to quibble, Father Stan Swamy wasn't a communist AFAIK.

Why go talk about Sadhvi Pragya, Osama Bin Laden, Dawood Ibrahim, Nathuram Godse when the person in question is someone else? Member of a banned organization, conspiring to throw democratic elected government, perpetrator of violence, supporter of killers of our jawan, use any and all fault lines in the society be it caste, creed, region, religion to peddle hate and harm the country, take money from abroad to convert poor tribals and what not all, I say Good Riddance!

 

[jamahir]

Why go talk about Sadhvi Pragya, Osama Bin Laden, Dawood Ibrahim, Nathuram Godse when the person in question is someone else? Member of a banned organization, conspiring to throw democratic elected government, perpetrator of violence, supporter of killers of our jawan, use any and all fault lines in the society be it caste, creed, region, religion to peddle hate and harm the country, take money from abroad to convert poor tribals and what not all, I say Good Riddance!

1. He wasn't part of the Naxalites. Even if he was why is the Naxal movement a banned movement and the Hindutvadi groups like Sanatan Sanstha, Sri Rama Sena, Bajrang Dal, Hindu Yuva Vahini etc not banned groups ? Why this imbalance ?

2. No, as far as I can judge he wasn't part of a plot to kill Modi as is being alleged by some government agencies.

3. Why can't he convert tribals but the RSS can have a program to get the tribals into their ranks ? Hypocrisy, isn't it ?

4. The Indian Supreme Court should engage in dialogue with the Naxals.

5. India is not a true democracy but more a demagoguery. A true democracy will be party-less Direct Democracy guided by progressive thought. Please read this post of mine which explains how Direct Democracy worked in Libya before 2011 and the interview of a Venezuelan person who was adapting that Libya system to Venezuela. Also, even Elon Musk has said that the best political system for near-future Mars settlements will be Direct Democracy.

 

[lightoftruth]

"October 2020, the National Investigation Agency released a 10,000 page chargesheet regarding the incident with fresh names, including Fr Stan Swamy, a Jesuit priest, who the NIA accused of conspiring to bring together Dalit and Muslim forces to take on what he referred to as the “fascist government” at the Centre. The NIA also accused him of being connected to the banned left-wing terrorist organisation, CPI (Maoist)."

He orchestrated violence which killed many people and was under terrorism charges.

This tribal activist used to convert tribals into Christianity through this violence depriving them of their 5000 yrs old distinct culture and in return used to get foreign evalengical funding for his lifestyle....

I have zero sympathy for these people.

 

[Fireurimagination]

1. He wasn't part of the Naxalites. Even if he was why is the Naxal movement a banned movement and the Hindutvadi groups like Sanatan Sanstha, Sri Rama Sena, Bajrang Dal, Hindu Yuva Vahini etc not banned groups ? Why this imbalance ?

2. No, as far as I can judge he wasn't part of a plot to kill Modi as is being alleged by some government agencies.

3. Why can't he convert tribals but the RSS can have a program to get the tribals into their ranks ? Hypocrisy, isn't it ?

4. The Indian Supreme Court should engage in dialogue with the Naxals.

5. India is not a true democracy but more a demagoguery. A true democracy will be party-less Direct Democracy guided by progressive thought. Please read this post of mine which explains how Direct Democracy worked in Libya before 2011 and the interview of a Venezuelan person who was adapting that Libya system to Venezuela. Also, even Elon Musk has said that the best political system for near-future Mars settlements will be Direct Democracy.

A banned organization is a banned organization, done by democratically elected government chosen by the people, with the decision having stood the test of scrutiny by courts of the country. Liaison with these organizations is against the law or the land. You may have your own ideology etc but a crime is a crime and the perpetrator is a criminal. Going by your logic as some muslims indulge in terrorism any muslims getting bashed up by Bajrang dal is fine. Nopes it's not, a crime is a crime, as per IPC not as per your or mine ideology or understanding.

 

[prashantazazel]

we need a country free from religions , religion is opium for human kind , we need a communist country .

Communist countries suck. Western Europe is largely atheist/non-practicing. That's a better model.

 

[jamahir]

A banned organization is a banned organization, done by democratically elected government chosen by the people, with the decision having stood the test of scrutiny by courts of the country. Liaison with these organizations is against the law or the land.

Please read my point #4 above. And there is a precedent for this. The FARC leftist guerrilla movement of Columbia also started around the same time as the Naxals in India and some years ago the Columbian government had dialogue with FARC though a bit later the government reneged on its promises. But for the dialogue the Columbian president got a Nobel Peace Prize.

Why can't such a thing happen in India ?

Communist countries suck. Western Europe is largely atheist/non-practicing. That's a better model.

Spain, a European and largely capitalist country, did a leftist thing last year. It nationalized all of its private clinics and hospitals and made healthcare free for all its citizens.

 

[Chakar The Great]

Shameful. This will be beginning of Modi's downfall.