Express News Service
RANCHI/MUMBAI: Activists and people close to Swamy, who worked tirelessly for the rights of tribals and other underprivileged people in Jharkhand for more than three decades,
“This is an institutional murder. He was arrested on fake charges and murdered. Despite the fact that no charges were proved against him, he was kept in jail for several months,” said Aloka Kujoor, who was associated with Swamy for over 20 years.
The Jesuit priest was the oldest among the 16 accused persons arrested in the Elgar-Parishad case and possibly the oldest in India to be charged under the UAPA.
“For decades he was a voice of the oppressed in Jharkhand.We hold the NIA and the central government wholly responsible and strongly condemn their role in Stan’s death, which has once again exposed the fascist face of the BJP government at the Centre,” said a statement issued by Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha (JJM), a network of several people’s organisations and activists.