Father Stan Swamy was among 16 renowned activists, academics and lawyers who were charged under a draconian anti-terror law in what came to be known as the Bhima Koregaon case. Arrested in October 2020, he spent eight months in a Mumbai prison, awaiting trial. During this time, his health deteriorated rapidly to the point where he could not eat or bathe by himself.
Prison authorities were criticised for denying him access to basic amenities such as a straw and sipper – a plastic drinking beaker with a spout or straw – which he needed to drink water because of hand tremors caused by Parkinson’s. Despite Swamy’s weak condition from advanced Parkinson’s disease, which worsened after he contracted Covid-19 in prison last month, the courts repeatedly denied him pre-trial bail.

CPI (ML) ND declared Stan swami ‘s death a political murder by fascist modi goverment and demanded arrest of home minister Amit shah for this crime.

Protests were held in Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Ropar, Patiala, Nawashahar, Sangrur, Kapurthala, Mukatsar Sahib, Faridkot, Moga and Amritsar.