“Even a caged bird can sing” is the emotional outburst from Fr. Stan Swamy who said goodbye to this cruel world on 5th July, 2021. The 84 year-old Jesuit priest was an activist who, till his last breath, fought and championed the rights and causes of the Adivasis, Dalits and marginalized living in pitiable conditions in remote villages of India, especially in the state of Jharkhand. He used his might to educate them and instill confidence in them to fight for their rights and free themselves from bonded captivity. As was expected, he was despised by the mighty, harassed, persecuted and finally jailed last October on trumped up charges under draconian laws and treated as a Maoist. He was literally tortured in jail by denying treatment for his various ailments including Parkinson’s disease. Even a sipper to drink liquids was made available to him only after his appeal to the Courts. His appeal for bail was rejected several times until he was admitted to a private hospital when his condition deteriorated after getting infected with Covid in the jail. But it was too late to prevent his death in custody. What a sad end to a most cruel and inhumane story.
India celebrates its 74th Independence Day on the 15th of August. Undoubtedly it’s a happy occasion, time to celebrate the freedom which was fought and won by our great leaders led by Mahatma Gandhi. But can we honestly say that we are independent today in the true sense? I am sure some of the downtrodden don’t even know the significance of this day as they are yet to taste the freedom that every human being longs for.
The divide between the rich and the have nots, is getting wider by the day. The poor continues to be trampled upon and lives a life of miseries. Will they ever get the freedom? Will they see the light at the end of the tunnel?
Fr. Stan Swamy’s mission was to work with such people so that the poor may have life to the full, with dignity and honour.
May his work inspire others to take forward his legacy in its mission of justice to the downtrodden.
Until we meet again.
Felix Dias
Editor