Martyr!
Fr Stanislaus Lourduswamy, SJ (known as Fr Stan Swamy) is a martyr for social justice for the tribals in Jharkhand, a cause which is integral to Christian faith. Hence, he deserves to be canonised.
The Society of Jesus, especially Fr Swamy’s Province of Jamshedpur, has to put its hands to work just now, i.e. to gather material about his life, his ministry, his zeal for the tribals, his struggles against the powers that be, his attitude towards his sufferings, especially during his incarceration and last illness, etc. If the work does not start now, a lot of material will be lost and forgotten, witnesses may not be there in future etc. The formal process may start five years thereafter, as it is the norm and a salutary one. Will the Society of Jesus and the Province of Jamshedpur rise to the occasion?
In the causes of martyrdom the requirement of miracles is strictly not there.
Mousinho de Ataide, Saligao
Fr Stan’s death, blot on the society
Stanislaus Lourduswamy, popularly known as Fr Stan Swamy or just Fr Stan, an activist for the rights of tribals and marginalized people, died on July 5 at the Holy Family hospital Mumbai. He was 84. He had been incarcerated under the draconian UAPA. Fr Stan was an accused not convicted. In fact he wasn’t even questioned and his case had not even come up for hearing. Yet, even with his frail health, he was denied bail.
His death is a blot on society. He did not deserve to die in this manner. He was a saint of the poor and the underprivileged. I request Cardinal Oswald Gracias president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India to push for the canonisation of Fr Stan Swamy by taking up his “Cause for Sainthood”, with the Holy Father in Rome. We need to make a strong statement in support of Fr Stan.
Robert Castellino, Mumbai
Postpone the Olympic Games
In Europe the Euro 2020 football cup is reported to have led to a spike in COVID cases in the countries where the matches were being played. With the Delta variant scare added to this surge of cases, the start of another wave of the pandemic is becoming very real.
Similarly, with the Copa America being played in Brazil, there was already fear of it setting off a surge in cases though here spectators are not allowed unlike the Euro 2020. Here again the tournament is in its last stages and the organisers are keeping their fingers crossed on any adverse comment relating to spreading the virus.
The other major sports event coming up are the Olympic Games by the end of this month which with Japan just ending their lockdown routines for their population will see a massive influx of athletes from different countries with varied histories of the virus. The fear in Tokyo by its citizens is real and they wanted the Olympic Games stopped but the authorities including the Prime Minister are not listening to them.
Neither is the IOC bending down and with fears of losing revenue over broadcasting and media rights has been trying to browbeat critics by saying that holding the Olympic Games will show the world that we are not buckling down. The time for this kind of bravado is completely over since many countries like Brazil under Bolsonaro have seen the effects of such misplaced judgment.
The IOC also has no one to be responsible to but the Japanese Prime Minister will have to answer to his citizens if there is another new wave of the virus. Therefore it is best that the Olympic Games are postponed even at this late stage to 2022 or beyond and held in Tokyo only so that all the infrastructure built can be used.
Srinivas Kamat, Alto St Cruz
Proud moment for Goans
First of all, I would like to congratulate son of our Goan soil, ex MLA, ex Speaker of Goa assembly Rajendra Arlekar for being appointed as Governor of Himachal Pradesh.
Indeed it is a proud moment for all of us Goans after our late Manohar Parrikar who was first son of Goan soil to be the Defence Minister of India and holding second most powerful position in Modi government.
But as we celebrate this great good news I was just imagining if this gift to Arlekar is to clear way for Manohar Babu in 2022 for joining BJP or for someone else. Well, as days pass by, we will come to know. Anyway it’s not only for BJP who will have tough time but it will be for Congress, GF, MGP, AAP, RG to decide because their only aim will be how to checkmate BJP. Politics is unpredictable and anything can happen any time of day or night like we saw previous years of jumping overnight.
Jerry D’Souza, Divar
Internet is the new oxygen
Even as school education has moved online over the past year and a half owing to the pandemic, it has recently come to light via an education ministry release that only 8% of the 827 government schools in Goa have Internet connectivity, far lower than the national average of 11.5%; Kerala and Delhi are at the top of the food chain with 85% penetration.
Over 750 schools are largely without basic computers or broadband which makes it almost impossible for teachers to impart education even during non-pandemic times. This state of affairs is embarrassing given the fact that the govt speaks of becoming an IT superpower and startup capital of India. Internet is no more a luxury but a basic necessity given that everything from education to litigation to medical practice to government schemes to work have shifted online.
Being an IT superpower would remain a pipe dream if a robust internet backbone is not put in place at the school level, if funds crunch is an issue then the private sector should be roped in under the hybrid PPP model.
I am sure some industrial conglomerates and business houses operating in the State would come forward to adopt school clusters for provision of Internet services as a corporate social responsibility endeavour; Internet is truly the new oxygen.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
He was a soldier of solidarity
The inhumane trauma undergone by our Jesuit Priest Stan Swamy is most unfortunate. It is unbecoming of any sensible system that he should have been ill-treated the way he was and that too at the age of 84. The Judiciary which symbolises the pillar of hope sadly also failed to rise to the occasion and promptly save him from the torment he was going through.
Fr Stan Swamy’s pilgrimage on earth may have ended but he will live in our hearts forever. A soldier of solidarity he was who so brave and with courage championed the cause for a more humanitarian society. He stood for simplicity and empowerment of the exploited while always being a friend of the poor and downtrodden.
The Constitution of India envisages a free, fair and independent Judiciary. The highest standards of judicial independence must be ensured by warding off even any trace of governmental influence. It has to be ensured that judicial accountability is maintained at all times with every Judge conforming to the highest standards of uprightness and integrity solely to the Rule of Law.
Justice V R Krishna Iyer had said “Even so, the creed of judicial independence is our constitutional ‘religion’ and, if the executive use Article 222 to imperil this basic tenet, the Court must ‘do or die’.
On account of the legal system having failed to timely deliver, Fr Stan died a martyr sacrificing his life in the battle against injustice. He will be missed more particularly by our less fortunate brethren who he tirelessly served all his life with passion and care. His pending bail application died a natural death, but Fr Stan is finally free to now serve in the Kingdom of God.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
