By His Grace Most Rev Prakash Mallavarapu, Archbishop of Visakhapatnam –
Our memories are still fresh about how the life journey of a priest who was committed to a cause.
Fr. Stan Lourdu Swamy: arrested, jailed, delayed hearing in a court of law, hospitalized when it was late, and died while taking treatment. The whole episode evoked tremendous response. In the beginning the voices were from the Christian circles but eventually a wider range of responses came from different quarters: commented, condemned, appealed, and expressed solidarity with the person and the cause for which he was dedicated and worked for. In the past three weeks there have been press meets, prayer gatherings, candle light rallies and public meetings.
These occasions helped many to know more about Fr. Stan Swamy’s life, to understand and reflect on what really led to his arrest, nine months of life in the jail, and death in a hospital. As a Church we have to own this heroic person and have to review and reflect about how our faith in the Gospel and Christian teachings can lead us to commitment and dedication to a worthy cause – truth, justice, poverty and solidarity with the poor, accompanying the under-privileged and the oppressed, readiness to leave behind our comfort zones, etc. We must feel challenged and motivated to live for a cause with total commitment!
In this month of August we will be celebrating Independence Day, happy and grateful over the freedom we are enjoying till date. But, it is imperative to see the inroads and encroachments into this right to freedom in order to safeguard the privilege of being a free nation and a free people. Struggles and movements, protests and resistance against exploitation and injustice are actually signs of hope. All such initiatives, localized or spread nationwide, are struggles against the powers which are threats to the full fledged freedom of the affected sections of people, especially those sections whose voice is weak or unheard otherwise!
Accompanying such struggles in different capacities by people of good will is a moral responsibility but only very few of us are ready to take up such a responsibility. Risking one’s privileges and comfort zones is required for which only the selfless and courageous are prepared.
Late Stan Swamy and all such individuals manifest that courage and preparedness to lose their privileges and to leave behind their comfort zones! Of course, law should not be taken into one’s hands but in the name of the law legitimate right to voice opinions and criticisms should not jeopardized.
But, when the social systems, inherited or newly evolved and some of the promulgated laws go against the rights and privileges guaranteed by the Constitution of India, especially, if such laws are against the rights and privileges of voiceless sections of the population, like the tribals and dalits, silence is the right option.
Standing up on behalf of such people and joining them in their efforts in peaceful protest, vocal or written, is the other option. It is this option that persons like Stan Swamy have made and stood boldly for them, and worked for them. Independence is meant for all! Why should some sections of the society be less privileged than others to enjoy freedom? Freedom from all those forms of dependence and deprival is the right of all the citizens of this country. Working for and accompanying such people in their aspirations and struggles or their movements is a noble task!
Continued tomorrow: A Clarion Call Through Fr. Stan Swamy and others like him