Centre should be held accountable for apathy towards Stan Swamy: Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren

RANCHI: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in a tweet alleged that the Central Government should be held accountable for the absolute apathy towards Stan Swamy saying he was shocked to learn of the priests demise.

"Shocked to learn about the demise of Father Stan Swamy. He dedicated his life working for tribal rights. I had strongly opposed his arrest & incarceration. The Union government should be answerable for absolute apathy and non provision of timely medical services, leading to his death," Soren said in a tweet.

Shocked to learn about the demise of Father Stan Swamy. He dedicated his life working for tribal rights. I had strongly opposed his arrest & incarceration. The Union Govt should be answerable for absolute apathy & non provision of timely medical services, leading to his death.

— Hemant Soren (@HemantSorenJMM) July 5, 2021

Stan Swamy had worked for about three decades among tribals in Jharkhand. Ranchi Catholic Archdiocese expressing grief over Swamy's death said the "caged parrot" now sings in Heaven.

"We are deeply grieved to learn of the death of Father Stan Swamy, a champion of tribal rights, a fighter for justice and a symbol of courage. The fact that this sick man suffering with Parkinson disease was arrested at the age of 84, refused bail for over 7 months, not even allowed a sipper and finally contracted COVID in jail itself is a sad reflection on those who got the innocent man arrested and the courts that refused to give him bail," said the Archdiocese.