Pinarayi Vijayan, the chief minister of Kerala, on Monday paid tribute to Jesuit priest and human rights campaigner Stan Swamy
Pinarayi Vijayan, the chief minister of Kerala, on Monday, paid tribute to Jesuit priest and human rights campaigner Stan Swamy.
Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan said he was heartbroken by the news of Stan Swamy’s death, adding that it is inexcusable that a man who spent his whole life fighting for society’s most marginalized people had to die in jail.
“Deeply saddened by the passing of Fr. Stan Swamy. Unjustifiable that a man who fought all through his life for our society’s most downtrodden had to die in custody. Such a travesty of justice should have no place in our democracy. Heartfelt condolences!” Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.
Deeply saddened by the passing of Fr. Stan Swamy. Unjustifiable that a man who fought all through his life for our society's most downtrodden, had to die in custody. Such travesty of justice should have no place in our democracy. Heartfelt condolences!
— Pinarayi Vijayan (@pinarayivijayan) July 5, 2021
The activist’s death was also condoled by M.K. Stalin, the chief minister of Tamil Nadu.
He tweeted, “I was shocked to learn of the death of Stan Swamy, a tribal rights and human rights activist. Deep condolence.”
“The tragedy that befell him who fought for the grassroots should no longer happen to anyone,” the Tamil Nadu chief minister prayed.
Swamy, an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, died in custody on Monday at a hospital in Mumbai, where he was awaiting release on medical grounds due to a number of illnesses, including Parkinson’s Disease.
He was also infected with the coronavirus. His death has elicited shock, grief, and outrage directed at the BJP-led Union government.
