Protesting the recent arrest of Father Stanislaus Lourduswamy under the unlawful provisions of the black law -Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, The World Sikh News editor Jagmohan Singh writes an Open Letter to him expressing full solidarity with him and the causes dear to him for which he has worked tirelessly for decades. The growing climate of religious, social and political intolerance in India is a grave threat to peace, human rights and the establishment of an egalitarian society. WSN editor seeks strong admonishment of India by the international community and hopes for his release and others detained for months and years at Taloja prison, Mumbai.

DEAR FATHER STANISLAUS LOURDUSWAMY: WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH! GREETINGS IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE LIGHT OF EVERY SOUL.  As you languish in the prison walls of Taloja jail, near Mumbai, in the company of human rights activist stalwarts arraigned there for months and years by India’s National Investigative Agency, please accept my greetings and prayer of solidarity for your well-being and early release from the clutches of the Indian state which sees a “terrorist” in you.

I am aware of what the Bharatiya Janata Party earlier did to you by foisting sedition cases against you during their last term in Jharkhand. I am also conscious of the earlier attempts made by the Maharashtra government to arrest you. They are now making it more difficult for you by levelling the non-bailable sinister provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967.

The manner in which you were virtually dragged in Ranchi at the time of arrest and taken aboard a flight to Mumbai and then straight to the court angers me but what bothers me more is that the courts there trying the Bhima Koregaon case have failed the criminal jurisprudence system and have shown scant respect for human rights, especially to seriously ill activists detained in the case.

When a frail but Tamil-spirited Jesuit priest like you advocates the rights of the Adivasis -India’s ignored indigenous peoples for five decades without fear and in the most dedicated and committed manner, the Indian state becomes restless and ruthless. This baffles and annoys petty police personnel, administrative officers and political leadership of India. Empathy and non-violence are only high-sounding slogans.

It is a tribute to your humanity that you chose to serve the underprivileged and voiceless Adivasis in the economically less progressive state of Bihar, through education and empowerment.

I recognize your contribution to sow the seeds of self-rule amongst the Adivasis and Mulniwasis -indigenous peoples, the aboriginals of India, who suffer apartheid of the kind that will put last century’s South-African apartheid to shame.

I recognize your contribution to sow the seeds of self-rule amongst the Adivasis and Mulniwasis -indigenous peoples, the aboriginals of India, who suffer apartheid of the kind that will put last century’s South-African apartheid to shame. Your campaign led to the creation of the state of Jharkhand -an area of the country which is rich in more than 40 natural resources.

As you witnessed the loot of the vast resources by the landed class, the powerful industrialists, multi-national companies, vested social interests and political leaders, your determination kept you going for five decades. Scandal after scandal over the decades, running into millions was a scourge which kept the Adivasis at rock-bottom, but you continued the fight and it is this commitment which has brought you face to face with the growing climate of religious, social and political intolerance in India.

I have not had the courage and opportunity to serve like you, but I have seen the stark poverty in the hinterlands of Jharkhand and have eaten the poorest diet Chokha -boiled rice, salt and buttermilk, which is a staple diet for some even today, barely once a day.

Your compassionate work for undertrials in prisons of Jharkhand has few parallels in today’s India.

I hope and pray for your early release and all of those lodged in the Taloja Jail -Anand Teltumbde, Gautam Navlakha, Hany Babu, Jyoti Jagtap, Sagar Gorkhe, Sudha Bharadwaj, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira, Prof. Varavara Rao, Sudhir Dhawale, Rona Wilson, Shoma Sen, Mahesh Raut, Surendra Gadling and Prof. Sai Baba.

I have not had the courage and opportunity to serve like you, but I have seen the stark poverty in the hinterlands of Jharkhand and have eaten the poorest diet Chokha –boiled rice, salt and buttermilk, which is a staple diet for some even today, barely once a day.

I have seen the difference that Jesuits have brought through education in the suburbs of Ranchi amongst the marginalised and the credit for this goes solely to God’s men and women like you.

I also have had the privilege of staying at the Indian Social Institute in New Delhi which followed the setting up of the Indian Social Institute in Bengaluru by you and others. The empowerment in human rights amongst the marginalised Dalit, Adivasis and women by such institutes hardly goes down the throat of the rabidly communal and fascist right-wing brigade which is spearheading and spreading hate in India.

I am certain that the All India Catholic University Federation and other Christian bodies will not shy from taking up your cause and strongly protest your detention. The world community, the Vatican, the international Church bodies have no time to admonish India.

I am certain that the All India Catholic University Federation and other Christian bodies will not shy from taking up your cause and strongly protest your detention. The world community, the Vatican, the international Church bodies have no time to admonish India.

Thousands of Adivasis owe their education, clean drinking water and basic health services to you. I am hopeful that the diligence and doggedness with which you have been preventing large-scale displacement of Adivasis from their traditional homelands, protecting their mineral resources and fighting for Dalit rights will ensure a groundswell of support for you in the times to come.

Sikhs are fighters and the response of the people of Punjab to the unlawful and anti-people farm laws is a clear barometer that Punjab will not allow trampling of its rights nor will it allow the obstruction of justice for human rights defenders like you.

Dear Father Stan, let it be known loud and clear that the struggle for justice, initiated by you will continue. God will ensure that your good work continues. Sikh activists across the Sikh human rights and political spectrum join me in expressing full solidarity with you and stand committed to opposing forces of fascism and intolerance.

Clearly, you are at the receiving end because you do not fit-in to the one-language, one-religion, unilateral and uniform policies build-up in this country. You are being discriminated against because of your religion and your passion for peoples’ rights.

Your books -“Towards empowerment of Dalit Christians”, “The trouble with Empire – Challenges to Modern British Imperialism”, “Encounter between Marxian philosophy and theology of humanisation”, “Resisting the status Quo – Transforming society” and “Why ethnic parties succeed – Patronage and ethnic-head counts in India” will serve to inspire the Adivasi youth, the Dalit youth and the human rights defender, the social activist for change to become self-sufficient, smart and fight for injustice.

Dear Father Stan, let it be known loud and clear that the struggle for justice, initiated by you will continue. God will ensure that your good work continues. Sikh activists across the Sikh human rights and political spectrum join me in expressing full solidarity with you and stand committed to opposing forces of fascism and intolerance.

I hope and pray for your early release and all of those lodged in the Taloja Jail -Anand Teltumbde, Gautam Navlakha, Hany Babu, Jyoti Jagtap, Sagar Gorkhe, Sudha Bharadwaj, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira, Prof. Varavara Rao, Sudhir Dhawale, Rona Wilson, Shoma Sen, Mahesh Raut, Surendra Gadling and Prof. Sai Baba.
Yours fraternally

Jagmohan Singh
Editor, The World Sikh News