The citizens of Kanpur stood as one under the banner “We Stand with Stan” at a commemoration cum commitment service held at St Patrick’s Church hall on 9th July. It was organised by the Kanpur Catholic Association (KCA), with the active collaboration of St Aloysius’ School.
Due to Covid protocol the gathering was restricted, nevertheless the hall was full. The keynote speaker was Magsaysay awardee Dr Sandeep Pandey of Lucknow, founder of the Socialist Party (India). Earlier he had launched an online campaign for the release of Stan and other accused in the Bhima Koregaon (Elgar Parishad) case, for which they had been arrested.
Sandeep asserted that when Stan was arrested from Ranchi he did not know anything about the Koregaon incident that was one of assertion of Dalit rights in Maharashtra; while Stan himself was working for the tribals (adivasis) in Jharkhand State, over 1000 kms away. He said that most of the social activists arrested were no where near the scene of the alleged violence.
He further observed that when the Central Government found that it had lost power in Maharashtra it clandestinely transferred the investigation to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) that was under its purview. Sandeep said that though Stan had been incarcerated in Taloja central jail, Navi Mumbai, for 9 months, the NIA had not even once taken him on remand for interrogation. So what was the tearing hurry to have him arrested?
He also drew attention to the fact that Stan was fighting for the rights of 4000 adivasis who had been put in jail on frivolous grounds. As per Article 19 of the Constitution of India, land belonging to tribals could not be acquired by others. This was being flouted blatantly in the tribal villages of Jharkhand, which was being strongly opposed by Stan.
According to him the conviction rate for those arrested under the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) was an abysmal 2%; so 98% of those arrested were either innocent or there was insufficient evidence against them. In contrast, in the USA the conviction rate was about 50%, but here it was so much lower because the police had a proclivity for framing people, especially the poor, in false cases.
Ms Subashini Ali, former MP of the CPM also paid homage to Stan. She said that Christians are often seen as docile and turning the other cheek. On the other hand there was Liberation Theology that made a preferential option for the poor, which is what Stan was following. She also said that Jesus was not a silent spectator to wrongdoing. When he saw the corruption in the Temple precincts he took a whip and chased away those who had commercialized religion. Jesus had also warned that it was easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. She also said that this was a stern warning to those bishops who were cozying up to the BJP.
Earlier Rev Walter D’silva, Principal, St Aloysius’ School, read the Gospel passage of the day on the cost of discipleship from Mathew Chapter 10. Jesus told his disciples that he was sending them out as sheep among wolves, so they needed to be as wise as serpents and simple as doves, for they were sure to be persecuted for pursuing the path of righteousness.
Rev Akshay Nayak SDB, himself an adivasi, described how Stan was following in the footsteps of another great Jesuit, the Belgian Constance Lievens. He said that the name Jharkhand was a misnomer. The area was actually known as Chhotanagpur, covering not just present day Jharkhand, but also parts of Chhatisgarh, Bihar, Bengal and Orissa. He said that it was the early missionaries who brought health and education to the poor tribals and helped them overcome their indebtedness to the money lenders who were grabbing their lands.
Sardar Harvinder Singh Lard of the Guru Singh Sabha said that those who perpetrated evil were bad, but those who turned a blind eye to evil were even more to blame. The Kisan Andolan was proof of people’s strength hence he emphasised the need of strong people’s movements to counter a dictatorial government.
Janab Mohd Suleiman, who himself had been jailed for over a year, being labelled as a terrorist, said that the present government had destroyed democracy and weakened the judiciary. Its latest attack was on organized labour, even denying them the right to go on strike, for which they could be jailed and penalized.
Sri Arvind Raj Swarup of the CPI drew attention to the preamble of the Constitution that enshrines one’s fundamental rights. Sri Suresh Gupta, Convenor of the Kanpur Nagrik Manch (Citizen’s Forum) read out the pledge to fight on for human rights and social justice. A resolution was passed demanding stern action against the jail authorities and investigation agency for the custodial death (institutionalized murder) of Stan.
Earlier Rev Francis Xavier and Rev Joel Fernandes of St Joseph’s Church led the gathering in prayer. Sri Praveen Dungdung led the choir. The KCA President Sri Noel George and Secretary Agnes Peter were also actively involved.
Special thanks was expressed to Rev Walter for going out of his way to see to all the arrangements and logistics. The service was organized and compeered by chhotebhai, the Convenor of the Indian Catholic Forum. He quoted what Bachi Karkaria had written in the Times of India that same morning, “Father, do not forgive them, for they knew very well what they were doing”!
When the meeting ended two vehicles were parked outside. One was a spanking new SUV that was chauffer driven to drop a young priest back to his residence about 20 kms away. The other was the tiny Tata Nano in which Sandeep had driven 80 kms from Lucknow, with eight persons seated inside! Wonder which car Stan would have chosen?
JULY 2021
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