July 9, 2021

For Immediate Release:

(1) Hindus for Human Rights organizes “Light, Hope, Love,” a multi-faith vigil to celebrate the life of Father Stan Swamy, July 9; and

(2) Hindus for Human Rights and PAIGAM collaborate on a news report of a vigil at JNU, July 6

Press Contacts:

Sunita Viswanath, sunita@hindusforhumanrights.org, 917-518-2441
Nikhil Mandalaparthy, nikhil@hindusforhumanrights.org, 202-790-7167

Father Stan Swamy, a jailed Jesuit priest and longtime Indian Adivasi rights activist, passed away on July 5th in police custody. He was one of 15 Indian activists arrested as part of the Bhima Koregaon case, accused of terrorist and anti-national activities including plotting to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The anti-terror laws such as Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and NSA which have been weaponized by the Indian government to arrest anyone exercising their constitutional right to express dissent and protest, enables the government to make arrests without evidence, and without possibility of bail. 

Father Stan was 84 years old, and was India’s oldest political prisoner. He had Parkinson’s Disease and his health was rapidly deteriorating during his year of incarceration. He applied for bail several times because he could no longer walk, dress himself or even feed himself. The government famously refused to give him a straw or sippy cup in prison.  In recent months Father Stan contracted covid, and once applied for bail because he wanted to die in peace and freedom rather than in prison. He was again denied, and ultimately died in a hospital in Mumbai.

There have been three reports by the company Arsenal Consulting, which reveal evidence of state-manufactured evidence in the Bhima Koregaon case. These reports have all been covered in detailed articles in the Washington Post. These reports point to a high likelihood that all the accused in the Bhima Koregaon case will be proven innocent before long. However, Father Stan was martyred before he could be vindicated. 

(1) Hindus for Human Rights Multi-Faith Vigil for Father Stan, July 9

Hindus for Human Rights organized a multi-faith vigil, “Light, Hope, Love,” on July 9th. The name of this vigil came from one of the poems Father Stan wrote while in prison, "Light, Hope, Love - The New Order." The two-hour virtual event which brought together an incredibly diverse group of religious leaders and activists from: Dalit and Adivasi backgrounds; Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist and Sikh faiths; and from India, the United States, Guatemala, and South Africa. 

The vigil began with tributes and testimonies from members of the Adivasi community in Jharkand who worked closely with Father Stan. These tributes were recorded right outside Father Stan’s office. One of the activists, Prabha Lakra, said, “Father Stan inspired people with his life and example. Father Stan’s name is synonymous to the ‘voice of the poor, the oppressed, the exploited.”

Here is a full list of all the activists and religious leaders who shared messages and prayers, with selected quotes.

• Rev. Abhi Janamanchi, Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church:
  “It is a constant theme, principle and practice in Father Stan’s life, poetry and ministry to refuse to be limited in life by obstacles or oppression and instead to rise like a bird and break out of cages in songs of freedom.”

• Adam Barnes, Director of Religious Affairs, Kairos Center for Religions, Rights and Social Justice

• Aminta Kilawan-Narine, Co-Founder, Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus

• Anantanand Rambachan, Professor of Religion, St. Olaf College:
  “Father Stan Swamy belongs to that rare group of human beings who, motivated by the highest religious teachings about the practice of love and justice, commits their lives to the service of others. May his example of loving, serving, and of courageously risking his life for others, inspire us all.”

• Rabbi Barat Ellman:
  “Those who oppose the rights of the marginalized and the poor and the indigenous will stumble and their efforts will not prevail, as long as we have people like Father Stan committed to defending those people.”

• Rev. Barbara Becker, Interfaith Minister

• Brahmachari V. Sharan, Director for Dharmic Life & Hindu Spiritual Advisor, Georgetown University:
  “Let us all sing the song of compassion through our every word indeed, and in doing so we will not only honor the call of our spiritual traditions, we will be paying tribute to the memory of Father Stan Swamy.”

• Father Cedric Prakash, Jesuit priest and human rights activist:
  “Stan Swamy was courageous. He was a courageous person who did not care about his own life or safety. But he wanted to be there in the midst of the people, walking with them in their struggles. Above all, Stan Swamy was a man of commitment. He never yielded an inch of the total commitment he had to the constitution of India, He believed in the justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity of all. He was the best of India; an Indian who we should be proud of.”

• Chenxing Han, Author

• Rev. Chloe Breyer, Episcopal priest; Executive Director, Interfaith Center of New York

• David Barunkumar Thomas, human rights activist, Gandhi scholar, author

• Father Dennis Leder, Jesuit priest, Guatemala
  “Although the sadness and the injustice that he suffered is unpardonable, at the same time I give thanks that there are people so dedicated and determined to make the rights of others a priority.”

• Rev. Doyeon Park, Won Buddhism

• Rabbi Ellen Lippman, Founder and Rabbi Emerita, Kolot Chayeinu/Voices of Our Lives

• Hena Zuberi, Justice for All:
  “When his shaking hands were ravaged by Parkinsons, so that he could not even drink water, he was denied a straw for months in prison by the Indian regime. This gentle, sweet soul; what threat was he to the Indian regime! Are they so afraid of truth, equity, fairness, and justice?”

• Rev. James Lynch, President, Buddhist Council of New York

• Dr Lokesh Ramnath Maharajih, Chair, Priests Council of South African Hindu Maha Sabha

• Medha, Founder, Bhaktiversity

• Mike Ghouse, Executive Director, Center for Pluralism

• Imam Naeem Baig, Former President, Islamic Circle of North America:
  “He used to say that the communities that drew him to them like a magnet were the Dalits and Tamil Nadu, and the indigenous Adivasi communities of Central India. He once said, “the rooting clause must realize that Adivasi people are not asking for charity, but certainly want their constitutional, legal, judicial rights acknowledged and honored by the rest of society. He wanted justice to reach the doorsteps of the poor, and we may honor his memory by trying to do our part to make this happen.”

• Pandita Pratima Doobay, Hindu priestess

• Rajmohan Gandhi, historian:
  “In Father Stan Swamy’s avoidable death, a beautiful tree of Indian democracy has been cut down. .. To the spirit of Father Swamy I say, your fight continues! The fight for a green forest of a caring democracy, where the weak enjoy their rights. Your torch is being picked up by others.”
  
  “Joe Biden says, “the world is facing a battle between autocracy and democracy”. Where does the government of India stand in this battle? This is a question that friends of India in the US must ask, and they must ask this question quickly… Answers must be demanded from authorities in India before more prisoners of conscience die.”

• Rev. Dr. Sarah C. Anderson-Rajarigam, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

• Tarunjit Singh Butalia, Executive Director of Religions for Peace USA

• Swami Vedanand Saraswati, Spiritual Head, Arya Samaj South Africa
  “Let us bow our heads and pray for our dear brother in peace: Father Stan Swamy: lifelong advocate for human rights and dignity.”

• Pandit Vishwambar Nath Mishra, Mahant, Sankat Mochan Temple, Varanasi:
  “I don’t know how he was presumed to be a threat to this big nation at an age of 84. He deserved justice and humanitarian treatment.”

• Rev. Winnie Varghese, Rector, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta

Rev. Valson Thampu, Former President, St Stephen's College, University of Delhi, brought the vigil to a close with a powerful call to action, “India today witnesses two parallel conflicts: one is a pseudo conflict and the other is a genuine brutal conflict. To me, the profound critical relevance of Father Stan Swamy’s work is to draw attention to the real conflict that is unfolding in India: a conflict that is sought to be camouflaged by a false diversionary conflict. That is the conflict of religiousness. It is not Father Stan Swamy’s demise that we need to mourn. We need to mourn what is happening to a whole nation. We need to mourn the fact that the India we have known, loved, and cherished, the puralist, tolerant, multireligious, multicultural collage of the souls of people is now dying away. An alternate entity is being installed in its place… The task ahead must be strategized with specific reference to this real conflict which is going to define the destiny of India.”

(2) JNU Vigil for Father Stan, July 6th

Hindus for Human Rights has partnered with media activist organization Paigam to create this short video report on a vigil for Father Stan at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on July 6th.

JNU student leaders Aishe Ghosh and Saket Moon share their views on the institutional murder of Father Stan, the draconian UAPA and NSA anti-terror laws, and their commitment to keep up the fight for civil and human rights in India.
 

Aishe Ghosh: “The state put an 84 year old in jail and denied basic facilities that were necessary for his health and repeatedly denied him bail. We want to ask the state, what security threat did you have from an 84 year old? And today, a lot of political prisoners are still in jail for charges against which there is no proof. We condemn the vindictive nature of the state. On behalf of the JNU Committee we demand the repeal of UAPA. We want to raise a united voice that this way of languishing of political prisoners of conscience shall not be allowed in this country.”

Saket Moon: “Normally, our Constitution or any other law in the world has always followed the principle of innocence until proven guilty. This doesn’t happen in the case of UAPA. You are presumed to be guilty until you prove your innocence… This is a systematic attempt to undermine our basic rights.”

“Our friends who are in jail today: their fighting spirit and courage motivates us. Because we are students, it is our duty and responsibility to keep on raising the issues of downtrodden and backward classes and we will continue doing that even if the state continues its undemocratic practices. We will keep on raising our voices for the public and the truth.”

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