The Shillong All Faiths Forum (SAFF) has petitioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the arrest of Jesuit priest Fr Stan Swamy.
In a letter to the PM, SAFF, which represents several faith groups in Shillong, said, “In line with the call for respect of the elderly all the world over, we hope that your good self would also consider our request to intervene for Fr Stan Swamy to be released on humanitarian and health grounds while the due process is one.”
The 83-year-old was arrested on October 8 in connection with the case surrounding the Elgaar Parishad, which investigators believe led to the Bhima Koregaon violence in January 2018 in Pune.
SAFF said that Fr Stan has consistently and diligently served the tribals and downtrodden of Jharkhand most of his life.
Asking for his release, the forum stated that this year has seen the effect of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in the country as in different parts of the world, and for this reason, an elderly person like the priest is at high risk and should not have been arrested.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and South Shillong and Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Sanbor Shullai had written to the central government on behalf of Fr Stan.
