Over a week since Stan Swamy passed away in judicial custody after being denied bail, a protest was organised by Left parties and other organisations in Ranchi. Protesters sat in dharna outside the Raj Bhavan. They demanded that a judicial probe into the death of Swamy be carried out. They also demanded the release of all political prisoners arrested under the draconian UAPA.
Speaking to ANI, CPI (M) leader Brinda Karat said, “His death was murder under a conspiracy. He was in NIA custody which directly comes under Home Minister Amit Shah. Judicial Investigation should be done in the matter and also all such political prisoners who are lodged in jails across the country must be released.”
Karat went on to demand that the state government should pay a proper tribute to the activist by following the steps laid out in the PIL filed by Stan Swamy in the Jharkhand High Court.
The PIL was filed against prolonged detention of 72 prisoners belonging to SC/ST and backward castes. They were arrested for alleged Left-wing extremist activities – and charged under the UAPA in West Singhbhum.
Claiming violation of Article 21 dealing with personal liberty, Swamy questioned the extremely delayed and long term pre-trial or trial proceedings. He asked for a court-monitored inquiry in all 24 districts of the state.
Protests in response to the institutional murder of Stan Swamy have taken place all over the country. The undertrial prisoners who were arrested in the Elgar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon case who have been lodged in Talogia Jail, even observed a one day hunger strike on July 7th, in protest.
Read: “Rage and Mourn”: Protests Across the Country in Response to Father Stan Swamy Death
