Ranchi: Friends and followers of Pastor Stan Swamy have decided to uphold the “Raj Bhavan Gherao” protest on July 15 to demand judicial investigations for the death of Imam, revoking UPA and releasing all political prisoners.
Before protests, supporters will also do ‘pathalgarhi’, tribal rituals set up a stone tablet on Sunday after receiving “holy” land from St Peter’s Church in Bandra, Mumbai, where Swamy was buried.
Hundreds of Swamy supporters gathered in Bagacha here on Thursday in a meeting of condolences and negotiating in future actions to pay tribute to him.
The meeting, organized by Adivasi Adhikar MANS (AAM), was attended by representatives of political parties, civil society organizations, human rights activists, tribal clothing and Jesuit family members.
The purpose of the meeting was to register protests for the death of Swamy in court detention and to adopt resolution for further action, organizers said.
Aloka Friends of Aam said the Jamshedpur Church was coordinated with the bandra church in Mumbai to bring home “holy” land from his courage.
“Once the Holy Land arrives here, Swamy will be accepted with tribal and Christian rituals.
The ‘Pathalgarhi’ ceremony will be carried out in a place of Bagacha and his room will be named Johar Stan,” he said.
“Tribal does not believe in the concept of heaven and for them, Swamy continues to live in another form And watch the footprints of creatures.
“Based on ‘Chaam’ (trail), we will respect the creature as Swamy and take a promise that never hurts it,” he added.
Attending a meeting of condolences, MeMhnad filmmakers, who are also Swamy students at the Indian Social Institute in India in the 1980s, said Swamy lived like Jesus Christ in people’s ministry.
“He often laughs when handled as a father and in return will call me his son just because he just wants to serve people without distinguishing from them,” he said.
The Dayamani Tribe activist Barla said Swamy did not only work from the ground but also wrote widely to make people aware of the oppression of the tribal and weak communities.
“He openly spoke against the land acquisition law, a religious conversion bill,” he Sai d.
During the meeting, poetry written by Swany during his detention in the prison was read while Anshu Toppo from the Federation of Indian Catholic University read poems in Swamy which he arranged.
The organizer also circulates a brief memoir about Swamy’s life and work.
They describe the BaGacha as ‘Karmabhumi’.
Sugia, a resident of Bagacha, said, “He always talks about preserving nature and the people around him.” The meeting was attended by JMM Central General Secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya, Congress MLA Rajesh Kaschap, former Deputy CM Stephen Marandi, Rajesh Yadav of RJD, Suvendu Sen of CPIML, Prakash Viplav CPM and Ajay Singh from the CPI, among others.
Followers of Fr Stan Swamy to Gherao Raj Bhavan on July 15
