TIRUCHY: “Naxals are our comrades who fight for people’s rights. They are not anti-social elements,” said Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) president Thol Thirumavalavan, while unveiling a statue of tribal rights activist Fr. Stan Swamy in his native village of Viragalur on Saturday, marking the priest’s fourth death anniversary.
“They are the voice for the voiceless. They take up arms not for personal gain, but to protect the forests and resist corporates who loot resources and suppress tribal communities,” he said, referring to the armed movements in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and other forested belts of Central India. While acknowledging that Naxals do not believe in parliamentary democracy and have even criticised VCK and communist parties.
Thirumavalavan added, “We don’t accept their path, but we recognise their sacrifice. Like Stan Swamy, they dedicate their lives to the people.” Taking a veiled swipe at Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s repeated calls to eliminate Naxals, he questioned the narrative that paints them solely as enemies of the state.
He pointed out that despite no proven links to Naxal groups, Fr. Stan Swamy was falsely implicated under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) based on tampered evidence.
“The BJP government framed him using files planted on his computer this was proven by forensic labs,” Thirumavalavan alleged. He called UAPA a draconian law, which allows arrests based on suspicion without evidence, shifts the burden of proof to the accused, and makes bail nearly impossible. “Even an 83-year-old man like Stan Swamy was denied justice and died in judicial custody,” he said.