‘Fr Stan may be gone, but fight will go on’

A supporter of Fr Stan Swamy outside St Peter’s Church in Bandra on Tuesday. Pic/Atul Kamble

Fr Frazer said, “It is tragic to have lost a person like Stan. At the same time, it is our duty to finish what he had started. The funeral primarily focused on the symbol of inspiration that Stan is, and all that he has done for the cause of justice—primarily working for the freedom of those who are disadvantaged. When I spoke to Stan, he had mentioned that around 4,000 tribals are lodged in jail in Jharkhand. The focus now is also on the BK-15 because they are still in jail. Stan might be gone, but this entire group [BK-15] is a part of the Stan family.”

Jesuit priest and tribal rights activist Fr Stan’s death in judicial custody has drawn condolences from all sections of society—including the court(s). Mascarenhas said that the determination to continue what Fr Stan was involved in stood out during the funeral. “The readings during the Holy Eucharist ceremony were picked specifically to inspire us. One of them was a reading from the Old Testament which speaks of our forefathers wrestling with God, which is exactly what Stan was doing—asking God to guide him in his work for justice. However, it was the second reading that truly stood out—about how Jesus was condemned to death by a selfish political authority concerned only about his own power—which is very similar to what happened to Stan. This reading was deliberately chosen so that it inspires us to do something.” Fr Stan Swamy’s body was then taken to be cremated to Shivaji Park. Mascarenhas said, “I appreciated my last one month with Fr Stan. It was really inspiring to be in his company and talk to him and support him through this order. It felt like a privilege, even though it ended in an unfortunate way.”

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