FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK A SmokeScreen to Crush Dissent issent is anathema to the Fr. Stan Swamy is not alone in facing government; raising the issues the vindictiveness of the government. of Adivasis is seen as an There are many others like Varavara Danti-national activity; helping Rao, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira, the oppressed to seek justice is labelled Sudha Bharadwaj, Gautam Navlakha, as terrorist activity. The arrest and Anand Teltumbde and Hany Babu who judicial custody of Fr. Stan Swamy, the too are put behind bars citing their 83-year-old Jesuit priest from Ranchi, alleged Maoists or similar links. They is the most telling commentary on the too, like Fr Stan Swamy, have been highhandedness of the government. “If working for the entitlement of people you dare to challenge us, you will face whose rights to ‘water, land and forest’ the music,” seems to be the dreaded are being snatched away by the govern- message to the people. ment and its cronies. The government The hard-earned freedom is becoming seems to be getting nervous that the a mirage in the largest democracy in the hitherto suppressed people are coming world. Earlier, a ‘foreign hand’ was seen out seeking their rights. They are no behind anyone who dissented from the more docile as they used to be; they are official stand. Under the present regime, choosing aggressive ways to challenge the terminology has changed. Anyone the government which has failed to who dissents is branded as anti-national, protect their basic rights. The govern- Maoist or Naxalite. It has become the ment sees a big threat in the rights norm to equate the word ‘activist’ with activists as they are conscientizing ‘anti-national’. Ironically, many who are people; it is probably feeling the sand holding the reins of the present regime slipping beneath its feet. or working behind it were dissenters at Fr Stan Swamy had said: “When one point or other. Hence the govern- each dissenter is put behind bars, a ment would do well to take a leaf out thorn each is removed from the flesh of of the lives of the activists instead of the ruling class.” But he has left some- hounding them like terrorists. thing unsaid. For each ‘thorn’ removed, Many of them, including Fr Stan many more ‘thorns’ could come up to Swamy, could have lived a cozy life if challenge the oppressive, intolerant and they had not decided to take the path tyrannical government. It is incum- of activism. But they decided to speak bent upon the civil society to offer full up for the people who are exploited. Fr. support to the rights activists against Stan Swamy realized that his call to whom a smokescreen of ‘Maoist-link’ be a priest would be meaningless if he has been created to crush dissent. The did not identify with the people among Church should throw its weight behind whom he worked. In working for them those fighting for the people on the and siding with them, he saw fulfilment margins. of his prophetic mission; in raising voice As always, we would be happy to for them, he was following the footprints hear your reviews, comments, and of his Master, Jesus Christ. It is He who suggestions. guided him to question the exploitation Happy Reading! of the Tribals by corporate houses; it is He who prompted him to help hundreds of Tribal young men who were put behind bars for no rhyme or reason. Dr. Suresh Mathew The activist priest considered his work Editor among the afflicted as his greatest badge > [email protected] of honour. INDIAN CURRENTS | 19 - 25 October 2020 3 MEMBER, INDIAN NEWSPAPER SOCIETY (INS) contents VOLUME XXXII, ISSUE 43 12 Is the church in India Prophetic? BY CEDRIC PRAKASH 16 What is the ‘crime’ I’m supposed to have committed? BY STAN SWAMY 18 Standing with Stan COVER Politics of Fraternity STORY 06 BY JOSE VALLIKATT 22 Be Prophetic Message from Fr. Stan to consecrated women A NARRATIVE OF and men BY JACOB PEENIKAPARAMBIL A HUMAN RIGHT 25 Arrest of Fr Stan A call to speak up for others DEFENDER BY DR J. FELIX RAJ BY DR. JOSEPH XAVIER SJ HARSHITA EDITOR: Indian Current Publications Although all efforts have been made Dr. Suresh Mathew 375 - A, Pocket - 2, to ensure the accuracy of the content, EDITORIAL BOARD: Mayur Vihar Phase - I, neither the editor nor the publisher can John Dayal, AJ Philip, Marydasan John New Delhi – 110091 take responsibility for consequences Tel: 011-45873264, Mob: 7042562963 arising from errors or omissions in the ADVISORY BOARD: Email: [email protected], information provided. George Plathottam, Skylark George, PJ Joseph, T. Dominic, PA Joseph, CJ Baiju [email protected], [email protected] Reproduction in any manner without DESIGN & LAYOUT: Website: www.indiancurrents.org prior permission from the publisher is Foxview Media prohibited. All disputes to be settled in CIRCULATION: DISCLAIMER Delhi Courts only. Ashish Victor The views expressed by the writers in this Magazine do not necessarily reflect This issue of Indian Currents contains FINANCE MANAGER: the views or policies of Indian Currents Jainamma 52 pages including cover. weekly or Editor. 4 INDIAN CURRENTS | 19 - 25 October 2020 26 A CLOSE LOOK Hate shower: tanishq’s capitulation POWER QUOTES BY A.J. PHILIP Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. mahatma Gandhi 30 POLITICS Criminal Politicians i learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, Let not lawbreakers be lawmakers the pig likes it. BY DR. PAULY MATHEW MURICKEN George Bernard Shaw i’ve learned that people will forget 34 HUMAN RIGHTS what you said, people will forget Educating for human dignity what you did, but people will never Importance of human rights forget how you made them feel. Maya education in schools Angelou BY DR. ALBERT P’RAYAN maya Angelou he who learns but does not think, is TRP SCAM lost! he who thinks but does not learn 38 is in great danger. TRP scam: Credibility of tV confucius channels at stake Viewers opt for over-the-top Your most unhappy customers are media your greatest source of learning. BY MANOJ VARGHESE Bill Gates he who is not everyday conquering some fear has not learned the secret PORNOGRAPHY 41 of life. Child Pornography ralph Waldo emerson Zero tolerance is the key BY AARTI Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to 44 SPIRITUALITY make you happy in the future. think Humanism Vs spirituality how really precious is the time you Covid-19 prefers humanism or have to spend, whether it’s at work or with your family. every minute spiritual innovations? should be enjoyed and savored. BY DR. BENNY JOSE PALATTY earl nightingale i’m most proud of the blessings that BOOK REVIEW 48 God has bestowed upon me, in my Unpacking religious life. he’s given me the vision to truly nationalism see that you can fall down, but you BY SUBHASH GATADE can still get back up. hopefully i’ll learn from my mistakes and have the opportunity to strengthen and 50 BOB’S BANTER improve the next thing i do. The Dreaded ‘s’ Word..! martin Lawrence BY ROBERT CLEMENTS INDIAN CURRENTS | 19 - 25 October 2020 5 COVER storY BY DR. JOSEPH BY HARSHITA XAVIER SJ n 8 October 2020, around 7.20 pm, four officials from the National Inves- Otigation Agency (NIA), the counter terrorism taskforce of the country, entered Bagaicha campus, a Jesuit-run social centre, in Ranchi and arrested Fr. Stan Swamy. He was kept in Ranchi NIA campus for the entire night and on the following day was taken to Mumbai. He was produced in the court on 9 October. Fr. Stan respectfully stated in the court, “I neither had any connection with Bhima Koregaon incident nor any links with Maoists. All along I dedicated my life for the develop- ment of my poor adivasi sisters and brothers. I wanted justice to be done to them as per the Consti- tutional provisions and Supreme Court judgements”. However, the judge sent him to judicial custody. FR. STAN SWAMY SJ Fr. Stan is an 83-year old Jesuit, hails from a village called Vira- A NARRATIVE OF A HUMAN RIGHT Fr. stan has laid a legacy for the people of india to follow his footsteps. he was ready to pay the price DEFENDER as a true follower of Jesus 6 INDIAN CURRENTS | 19 - 25 October 2020 COVER storY halur, near Trichy, Tamil Nadu. gories to become aware of the for a few months, due to medi- He is a member of Jamshed- hard realities in which dalits and cal reasons. Even during these pur Jesuit Province. He suffers adivasis live and to question and months, despite his illnesses, he from multiple illnesses, includ- respond to the unjust socio-eco- participated in various protests, to ing tremor (Parkinson). After his nomic and systemic oppression express his solidarity. He contin- Jesuit training, he had spent his with a Jesuit hallmark – Faith that ued to share the struggles and active life mainly in three places – does Justice. Many social activists aspirations of adivasis and his Indian Social Institute, Bengaluru, in South India fondly remember work for and with them, to whom- JOHAR, a Jesuit Social Centre in him as a beacon of hope for the ever came to see him. Chaibasa, and Bagaicha, Ranchi marginalized. in Jharkhand. Stan served as the Director of JoHAr, chaibasa, ISI Bengaluru for 11 years and as a Jharkhand Indian Social Institute, training staff for 6 years.