NEW DELHI/RANCHI: Activists and intellectuals from across the country have condemned the NIA charge sheet against eight people, including 83-year-old Jharkhand-based tribal rights activist and Jesuit priest Father Stan Swamy, for their alleged involvement in the 2018 Bhima-Koregaon case, and termed the move as a “witch-hunt”.
On Thursday, the NIA arrested Swamy from the Jesuit-run Bagaicha social centre, where he lives. Close to 2,000 activists, journalists, former bureaucrats and members of civil society appealed to Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren to intervene for his immediate release.
“I am outraged at how this charge sheet has been filed, and the manner in which the activists have been subjected to a witch-hunt by the NIA. The NIA is acting in an unconstitutional manner. There is no substance to the charges. They are a diverse set of people,” said Kavita Krishnan, a CPI(M) politburo member.
Activist Harsh Mander said the arrest and charging of octogenenarian Swamy with Maoist conspiracy was “absurd”. “Any kind of challenge to the government’s agenda of hatred and division and giving support to big industries. People like Swamy were fighting both of these. They are being punished,” said Mander.
Human rights body People’s Union for Cities said the agency was crushing dissent and that Swamy has consistently questioned the abuse of power by state and the police through years of commitment in working for Adivasis.
V A Ramesh Nathan, general secretary of National Dalit Movement for Justice, said the government was systematically targeting minorities. Social economist Jean Dreze, who has worked with Swamy for several years, called his arrest as a symbol of the “routinization of draconian laws”. “Sending him to jail is pointless except as a demonstration of ruthlessness,” he said.