CPM to stage protests in Tamil Nadu seeking action against those 'responsible' for Stan Swamy's death

Demanding action against those 'responsible' for the death of Jesuit priest Stan Swamy, the CPI(M) Tamil Nadu state committee on Monday announced that it would hold state-wide demonstrations on July 8, opposing 'injustice' and seeking action.

Appropriate action should be taken against those who were "responsible for Swamy's death through acts like foisting a false case and treating him inhumanely," the Marxist party said. The human rights activist was a native of Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu who tirelessly worked for the rights of tribal people in Jharkhand, the CPI(M) said, condoling Swamy's death.

All those arrested in Bhima Koregaon and other cases with 'political motives',besides those imprisoned under 'draconian' laws should be released, CPI(M) State secretary K Balakrishnan demanded in a statement. People should raise their voice against Swamy's death, "which is an injustice," and they must protest against usurpation of freedom of expression and filing "false cases" and imprisoning those who criticised the government, he said.

Also read: Stan Swamy: A life dedicated to Adivasis

Expressing shock over the priest's death, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi chief Thol Thirumavalavan alleged that Swamy was arrested in a "false case." Swamy's death was a "murder committed by the BJP government with the help of the law and cannot be regarded as a coronavirus death," the VCK chief said. An accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, 84-year old Swamy died in custody at a hospital in Mumbai on Monday and he awaited bail on medical grounds.

Swamy was arrested by the National Investigation Agency in October 2020 and was lodged in Taloja prison in Maharashtra. Later, he was admitted to the private hospital on May 29 following an order of the Bombay High Court on a petition filed by him, seeking medical attention as he was then suffering from Covid-19 and Parkinson's disease.