The Communist Party of India (CPI)-Maoist paid revolutionary homage to Father Stan Slas Lurd Swamy, political prisoner and part of the Bhima-Koregaon 15, who died in prison last July 5 at the age of 84. The priest succumbed to heart attack after being denied bail for several times despite his old age, Parkinson’s disease and Covid-19 infection.

Father Swamy is a supporter and good friend of the minority peoples in Jharkhand and served their interests and communities for the past three decades. He was arrested by India’s state forces in October 2020 on charges of “terrorism”, association with the CPI-Maoist and partaking in the Bhima-Koregaon “violence”. He was known to be the oldest to be accused of “terrorism” in India.

He is known for his dedication to the struggles of the minorities against land-grabbing by both the state and central governments of India. He has campaigned for the release of minority political prisoners and gathered support for the cause.

“The Central Committee of our Party conveys humble revolutionary homage to Father Stan Swamy. Our party conveys deep condolences to each and every person concerned to him. It also hopes that the members of the Bagaicha shall rededicate themselves to fulfill his ideals,” said Abhay, CPI-Maoist Central Committee spokesperson.

What is the Bhima-Koegaon case?

Fifteen individuals comprising of activists, professionals, and human rights advocates were illegally arrested by state forces of the Modi regime associated with the Bhima-Koregaon case. They were accused of leading and funding a supposed “violent” protest march in early December 2017 in Bhima Koregaon, Pune District, Maharashtra. The state labeled them as members of the CPI-Maoist and accused of hatching a plan to assassinate India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The string of arrests started in June 2018 and ended in October 2020 with Fr. Swamy as the latest. The Modi regime weaponized its Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967 which it amended and worsened in 2019. The amendments included the arbitrary tagging of individuals as “terrorists.” On the same year, India’s Supreme Court ruled that posting bail for the said charges should be stricter.

“Struggle with the demand for the withdrawal of the Bhima Koregaon case and the immediate release of all the social political activists arrested and imprisoned in the case shall be the real homage to Father Stan Swamy,” commented Abhay.

Furthermore, the CPI-Maoist appealed to all democratic organizations both in India and abroad to join their call for the immediate repeal of the draconian law and other sedition acts. “The minimum civil and democratic rights of the people will not be protected without struggle. There is no alternative except to struggle,” Abhay ended.