'He's a torchbearer of the Constitution' say father Stan Swamy's peers

Illustration/Uday Mohite

For Father Stanislaus Lourduswamy, true religion is standing for justice, humanity and truth. His ideas made many within the Church uncomfortable. To them, he was a radical of sorts. But, this was his life's mission, and many activists, including myself, were inspired by his journey," says Tony PM, a freelance researcher and social activist in Ranchi, who has been associated with the 83-year-old Jesuit priest since 1993.

On October 8, Fr Lourduswamy, known among peers as Fr Stan Swamy, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), in the Elgar Parishad case. He is being investigated for his alleged links with the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) and instigating caste violence in Bhima Koregaon in Pune district, making him the 16th person to be arrested in the case since June 2018, and also the oldest person to be accused of terrorism in India.

Ailing and frail, Fr Stan, say observers, dedicated his life to uplift the marginalised and Adivasis of Jharkhand. When he was dragged into the controversy, it befuddled many. After the NIA court rejected his interim bail plea last week, activists, including members of the Adivasi Adhikar Manch, took to the streets to protest his incarceration. Earlier this week, the Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences (FABC) called for his release. Closer home, Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Bombay had urged prayers for the priest.

Born on April 26, 1937, in a village in Tamil Nadu's Tiruchirappalli, Fr Stan took a shine to social service early. Inspired, by the work of the Jesuit priests, whom he came in contact with during his time at St Joseph's School, he decided to join the order in undivided Bihar. From then on, the north Indian state became his adopted home.

After a stint as teacher at the St Xavier's High School Lupungutu, Chaibasa, in the 1960s, he went to Manila in the Philippines in 1967 to study theology. He returned to the Jesuit Jamshedpur Province in 1971, where he was made Director of the Catholic Relief Service. This is also when his activism took root. He spent time with the Ho tribe, learning their language, and moved to Badaibir village, where he worked with the youth. "But, he realised that if he continued to work in the village, he'd be tied down to a small area. He wanted to bring the fruits of his work to a maximum number of people," Tony shares, in a telephonic interview.

A long stint at the Indian Social Institute, Bangalore, from 1975 to 1990, kept him away from home for a while. This is where Mumbai-based Fr Frazer Mascarenhas first became aware of Fr Stan's advocacy. Fr Mascarenhas who is manager of St Stanislaus High School and former principal of St Xavier's College, Mumbai, has been most vocal in his support for the Jharkhand priest. "Fr Swamy was the director of the institute for about 12 years. He used to organise courses for all of us on social analysis. I remember attending one of these. He was quite passionate about the poor, the Dalits and Adivasis, and wanted to understand what is leading to their impoverishment and continuing powerlessness, despite years of freedom and a Constitution, which gives everyone the right to aspire for the fruits of development. He was one of those, who gave us a very good perspective and analytical view of Indian society," recalls Fr Mascarenhas.

When he completed his term as director, he once again returned home, to work at the grassroots. "He knew that if change had to be made, it would have to be done at a policy level. That's why he shifted to Ranchi," says Tony, who joined him a few years later. "When I met Fr Stan, he was already living with Parkinson's disease. But that didn't come in the way of his work. He would ride the motorbike from Ranchi to Chaibasa, 139 km away, three to four times a week, so that he could build a strong network of activists," says Tony.

Fr Stan's main mission was to make the Adivasis aware of their land rights. He was a critic of the government's attempts to amend land laws - the Land Acquisition Act in Jharkhand, being among them - and a strong advocate of the Chota Nagpur Tenancy Act, the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act, and Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, instituted to protect Adivasi land. "PESA gave power to the gram sabhas to control resources and acquisition of land for the Adivasis. Otherwise, the community would be assimilated into the big ocean called the mainstream. Unfortunately, these resources were being diverted elsewhere," says Tony.

He highlights his focus on the cause as his most remarkable quality. "He had his ear to the ground. Every time there was a new policy that he felt would affect the Adivasis, he'd read about it, and write articles. He'd then distribute his pieces among his network of activists to spread awareness."

Siraj Dutta, a member of the Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha, says the priest was a sympathiser of all civil and social movements. "I have known him for seven years, and his life revolved around empowering the gram sabhas. But, in the past few years, he also raised issues about hunger deaths and mob-lynching."

Another important cause that he got involved in a few years ago, was finding the true story behind Adivasi prisoners, many of whom were accused of joining the Naxals. "We filed many RTIs and managed to get data from jails on the number of Adivasis arrested. Fr Stan and I also visited those who had been released on bail. Of the 102 people we met, only three said they had something to do with the Maoists. Based on this research, we even published a report," says Tony.

There were many naysayers within the Church and outside, but he insulated himself from the noise. "We were aware of his activism even here [in Mumbai]," says Fr Mascarenhas, who says Fr Stan's involvement in the Elgar Parishad is far-fetched. "Anyone who knows him will say that this [allegation] is not true. Most importantly, it goes against our [Jesuit: The Society of Jesus] very ethos. At the moment, he is very ill. Because of Parkinson's, he's unable to lift a glass of water. He has hearing loss in both ears, and recently underwent surgery. In this condition, how did the government think it wise to arrest him?" he asks.

Dutta says that ever since his house was raided two years ago, Fr Stan had cooperated with the agencies. "He has repeatedly clarified that he has not been to Bhima-Koregaon, but he was arrested under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The manner in which it all panned out was ruthless."

Fr Mascarenhas describes him as a torchbearer of the Constitution. "If Fr Stan has to be arrested, all of us should also be arrested. We are all sympathisers."

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