Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday, July 18 paid his last respects to the ashes and image of Father Stan Swamy kept at Chennai's Loyola College. Father Stan Swamy passed away at a Mumbai hospital after he was shifted there from Taloja Central jail, where he was kept in confinement due to his alleged connection in the Bhima Koregaon violence. Several leaders, including Minister Ponmudi, Members of Parliament Kanimozhi, Dhanyanidhi Maran and VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan, were also present on the occasion.

Taking to social media, Stalin said, “I paid my last respects with a wreath to the remains of Father #StanSwamy placed at Loyola College, Chennai. His life is commendable since Father Stan Swamy fought till his death throughout his lifetime for the rights of the grassroot people.”

Thol Thirumavalavan said, “After cremation in Mumbai, Father Stan Swamy’s mortal remains (ashes) were kept for public viewing at church inside Loyola College campus for people to pay their respects. At 10 am, we paid floral tributes to him on behalf of VCK.”

Father Stan Swamy passed away on July 5 at the age of 84. Swamy was suffering from several ailments including Parkinson's disease and was moved to a private hospital in June after he tested positive for novel coronavirus. The Jesuit priest and human rights activist was accused in Elgar Parishad-Maoists links case and was arrested by the NIA in October 2020. The activist was accused along with several others like Varavara Rao and Sudha Bharadwaj by Pune police in the case and of all the members Swamy was the oldest person to be accused of terrorism in India. However, many activists alleged the Elgar Parishad-Maoists link case was cooked up and demanded the release of the political prisoners.

Swamy was born in Trichy in 1937 and served as Director of Indian Social Institute Bengaluru from 1975 to 1986. Swamy was famous for his work in Jharkhand where he mainly worked with tribal people.