E-Paper
Elgar Parishad case: Stan Swamy’s condition worsens, NHRC issues notice to Maharashtra chief secretary
As the health of 84-year-old Elgar Parishad accused Stan Swamy deteriorated, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which is looking into a complaint that Swamy’s condition is serious, issued a notice to the Maharashtra chief secretary, asking him to ensure that every possible effort is made to provide proper medical care and treatment as part of the life-saving measure and protection of his basic human rights
As the health of 84-year-old Elgar Parishad accused Stan Swamy deteriorated, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which is looking into a complaint that Swamy’s condition is serious, issued a notice to the Maharashtra chief secretary, asking him to ensure that every possible effort is made to provide proper medical care and treatment as part of the life-saving measure and protection of his basic human rights.
Swamy was arrested by the NIA on October 15, 2020 from Ranchi and was kept at Taloja jail along with other accused arrested in connection with Elgar Parishad case. After multiple pleas from his family and following a Bombay high court (HC) order on May 28, Swamy, a tribal rights activist, was admitted to Holy Family Hospital, Bandra for general weakness and Parkinson’s disease. He tested positive for Covid on May 30.
On Sunday afternoon, he was put on ventilator support in the intensive care unit (ICU). Dr Ian D’Souza, medical director of the hospital, refused to comment on Swamy’s health. But a doctor from the hospital, who did not wish to be identified, said, “His condition is quite critical and he suffers from severe breathing difficulties. It could be related to post-Covid complications and we are examining him for this.”
Twitter was abuzz with ardent pleas by users to free Swamy and seeking prayers for him after his condition deteriorated.
The commission also sought a report in light of the allegations made in the complaint and the treatment record of Swamy, while he was lodged in Navi Mumbai’s Taloja jail. The direction comes in continuation of an earlier order of the commission, in which it had advised the state to provide adequate medical care to Swamy.
Senior advocate Mihir Desai, who represents Stan Swamy, had on Friday informed the Bombay high court (HC) that his concern was to get his client bail on medical grounds as the condition of the activist is critical. The Jesuit priest will require continued hospitalisation even if he is granted bail, said Desai. “My main concern is to extend the hospital stay. Even if he is granted bail, he will not be getting up and roaming around, as he needs further hospitalisation. We are more concerned about getting him bail as soon as possible,” Desai said.
Due to paucity of time, the petition could not be heard and a bench of justice SS Shinde and justice NJ Jamadar extended Swamy’s stay at the hospital till Tuesday, when the hearing will be held.
Apart from the application for bail on medical grounds, Swamy had filed another petition seeking to set aside a provision under section 43D(5) of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), through which investigating agencies could book him under charges of working in the frontal organisation of a banned terrorist outfit. The petition has claimed that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had made it “impossible and an insurmountable hurdle” for him to apply for bail, which is arbitrary and against his personal liberty. In light of this, Swamy’s counsel sought setting aside and quashing of the terminology ‘front organisations’ from the first Schedule of UAPA.
Debrati, posted a tweet stating that after learning that his bail application had been posted to Tuesday, Swamy appeared agitated and disoriented on Saturday. Meena Kadasamy, another user, tweeted, “Father #StanSwamy battling on a ventilator. At 84, he’s India’s oldest political prisoner. Share widely (sic).”
(Inputs from Rupsa Chakraborty)
