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Youth Participation, Media Freedom Central to 5th Stan Memorial Lecture

Youth Participation, Media Freedom Central to 5th Stan Memorial Lecture

Ranchi, August 2026. Pic credits: Catholic Connect

Catholic Connect / by Fr. Praful Bara

RANCHI, August 24, 2026: Stronger youth participation, media freedom and the protection of democratic values were the focus of the 5th Stan Memorial Lecture organised by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Jharkhand, at SDC, Purulia Road, Ranchi, on August 23.
The lecture, titled “Future of Democracy: Emerging Possibilities from Youth Movements and the Role of Media,” examined the changing nature of democratic participation, the rise of youth movements and the challenges confronting independent media. The programme also recalled the life and work of Jesuit priest Stan Swamy and his advocacy for human rights and marginalised communities.
Read more

Also read:
▪ Remembering Stan Swamy: Five Years Since His Custodial Death / The Struggles He Lived For Continue … (Jul 2026)

▪ I am not a Silent Spectator – Why Truth has become so bitter, Dissent so intolarable, Justice so out of reach – An Autobiographical Fragment, Memory and Reflection

Edition: Aug 2021
Publisher: Indian Social Institute, Bangalore
Language: English
Paperback: 149 pages

‘Why truth has become so bitter, dissent so intolerable, justice so out of reach?’ because truth has become very bitter to those in power and position, dissent, so unpalatable to the ruling elite, justice, so out of reach to the powerless, marginalised, deprived people. Yet, truth must be spoken, right to dissent must be upheld, and justice must reach the doorsteps of the poor. I am not a silent spectator. This booklet is not my autobiography. It is rather a collation of some glimpses/episodes from my life that somehow made a difference for me, and possibly for my confrères, colleagues and the people with whom I have shared my life.

Access a free PDF copy of the book here

Scholar says Dr Ambedkar was great but we need to question him, not worship him

Scholar says Dr Ambedkar was great but we need to question him, not worship him

Scholar says Dr Ambedkar was great but we need to question him, not worship him

01/11/2024

Countercurrents.org / by Vidyadhar Date

This was an unusual book launch in Mumbai on October 30 where the author, a prominent human rights activist, management professor, faces restrictions on his movements because of a court order. And the audience included some of the best minds including well known poet Vara Vara Rao, who are either on bail in the Bhima Koregaon case or their movements are restricted too. The author is Anand Teltumbde and the book is “Iconoclast – a reflective biography of Babasaheb Ambedkar”.
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Anand Teltumbde’s new book unravels the man behind the Babasaheb Ambedkar

31/10/2024

Hindustan Times / by Sabah Virani

Teltumbde recalled his initial hesitation when approached by Penguin in August 2018 to write Ambedkar’s biography, sharing his thoughts at the book’s launch on Wednesday evening at the Mumbai Press Club. The event, held a month after the book’s release, was delayed not by choice but by bail restrictions confining Teltumbde to Mumbai and Goa
An iconoclast, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is someone who destroys religious images or challenges their veneration. It’s also the fitting title of the latest biography of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, written by Anand Teltumbde—a professor, activist, and undertrial. His book seeks to unravel the complexities of Ambedkar, a towering figure in Indian history.
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Anand Teltumbde – “Ambedkar challenged Gandhi’s Mahatmahood”

25/10/2024

Hindustan Times / by Chittajit Mitra

The author of ‘Iconoclast: A Reflective Biography of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’ on why BR Ambedkar stands out, common misconceptions about him, and the lessons that young Dalits must take from his life and teachings
…
Post Elgar Parishad which even led to your incarceration, what challenges do you observe for activists and the Dalit community at large to mobilise and make specific demands to attain better standards of living?
Anand Teltumbde: It is not just the Dalit community; mobilizing people for any cause has become nearly impossible, except for religious gatherings that serve as proxies for regime support or superficial political sloganeering that merely legitimizes the claim that democracy is still intact.
Read full interview

Also read:

▪ Iconoclast. A Reflective Biography of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar
by Anand Teltumbde

Publisher: ‎Penguin Viking
Language: ‎English
Hardcover: 700 pages
Read more/order

Excerpts from ‘From Phansi Yard: My Year with Women of Yerawada’ by Sudha Bharadwaj

Excerpts from ‘From Phansi Yard: My Year with Women of Yerawada’ by Sudha Bharadwaj

By People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL)

Sudha Bharadwaj’s recently published book ‘From Phansi Yard: My Year with the Women of Yerawada’ is a tenderly written collection of her memories, through which one gets to witness her resilient spirit, and yet, her vulnerabilities. In the book, she observes, reflects and chronicles stories of women prisoners, prison conditions and her own journey.
… The book begins with an interview, in which she narrates her story, her memories of the beginning of her activism, her relationship with her daughter and the work she did with the Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha. Here are some excerpts from the book, that illustrate the warmth and compassion with which she wrote about her fellow prisoners (whom she has numbered and left anonymous), and her unyielding courage with which she survived incarceration.
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From Phansi Yard: My Year with the Women of Yerawada

Author: Sudha Bhardwaj
Publisher: Juggernaut
Pages: 216
Order

Also watch/read:

● Video – Book Release: Why is the state afraid of Sudha Bharadwaj?

By People’s Union for Civil Liberties, Jan 2021en + hindi | 2h 53min | 2021

Topic: Why is the state afraid of Sudha Bharadwaj?
A long interview conducted with Sudha over several days before she was arrested is now being published as an online book “Sudha Bharadwaj Speaks – A Life in Law and Activism”, and will be released at this webinar by the well-known writer, Nayantara Sahgal. Sudha’s daughter, Maaysha, her lawyer Yug Chaudhary, social activist Harsh Mandar, historian Uma Chakravarti amongst other coworkers & colleagues, will also share their experiences and memories of working with her.
Watch video @ PUCL Facebook (videos)

● Sudha Bharadwaj speaks – A Life in Law and Activism


Publisher: Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL)
Edition: January 2021
Language: English
Sudha Bharadwaj’s interview by: Darshana Mitra and Santanu Chakraborty
Paperback: 316 pages
Access a free PDF copy of the book here:
Sudha_Bharadwaj_speaks (2,1 MB)

● Video: The Conditions of Prisoners in Indian Jails

By All India Lawyers’ Association for Justice – AILAJ | March 2022

en | 1:21:23 | 2022
The huge number of undertrials, the overcrowding, and the disproportional numbers of Dalit, Muslim and Adivasi prisoners are part of the prison problem in India.
We are joined by Adv. Sudha Bharadwaj for a discussion on the Conditions of Prisoners in Indian Jails.
Watch video

“For the freedom to breathe” – Sudha Bharadwaj’s book: From Phansi Yard (pics)

“For the freedom to breathe” – Sudha Bharadwaj’s book: From Phansi Yard (pics)

by PUCL India / @PUCLindia (Dez 5, 2023)
PUCL Maharashtra and Free Speech Collective invite you to a book reading and conversations at 6 pm on Dec 9, 2023 in Bandra, Mumbai, “For the freedom to breathe” On the occasion of 75 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and 25 years of the UN Declaration on HRDs

by PUCL India / @PUCLindia (Dec 11):
‘For the Freedom to Breathe’ by PUCL Maharashtra & Free Speech Collective. Reading by Ratna Pathak Shah of excerpts from ‘Phansi Ward’, discussion between Freny Manecksha and author Sudha Bharadwaj, talk by Sukanya Shantha on ‘Criminal Justice and Prisons-the Media’s Blind Spots’

by naresh fernandes / @tajmahalfoxtrot (Dec 9)
Ahead of Human Rights Day, a reading and discussion about Sudha Bharadwaj’s searing, funny book about her time in jail in the farcical Bhima Koregaon case.

by Dilip D’Souza / @DeathEndsFun (Dec 9)
Commemorating 75 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Sudha Bharadwaj speaks about her book, “From Phansi Yard: My Year with the Women of Yerawada”.

Mumbai. Dec 9, 2023

Sudha Bharadwaj’s book and the drama on a revolutionary on death row

10/12/2023

Countercurrents / by Vidyadhar Date

The reading by Ratna Pathak Shah last evening from Sudha Bharadwaj’s book about days in the death row in jail, reminded me of a thrilling Marathi play “Thank You Mr Glaad” about a Naxalite revolutionary. The movement has taken little note of the play written by Anil Barve. It was also a big popular hit and was produced by Prabhakar Panshikar, a very popular actor and producer, in the 1970s.
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Video: Vernon v. State of Maharashtra: A Breakthrough in Bail Jurisprudence under the UAPA?

Video: Vernon v. State of Maharashtra: A Breakthrough in Bail Jurisprudence under the UAPA?

by PUCL India / @PUCLindia (Aug 7, 2023)

Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves were released after 5 years in jail!
Join our discussion on their bail order and to understand its implications! How can we advocate for the release of all political prisoners arrested under UAPA?


en | 1:29:01 | 2023
Watch video

UAPA disproportionately targets religious, ethnic minorities: Activist

10/08/2023

News Trail / by Umar Sharieef | NT

Discussing the Supreme Court’s decision in granting bail to activists Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferriera accused in connection with the Elgaar Parishad case, members from People’s Union for Civil Liberties said the bail order has significant implications for bail jurisprudence under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, UAPA, in the framework of criminal law.
The members highlighted the top court’s bail-granting powers under the UAPA, which flows from the Zahood Ahmad Watali judgment.
Read more

Also read/watch:
● PUDR welcomes the release on bail of Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira today, but protests onerous bail conditions (PUDR / Aug 6, 2023)

● Video: Personal Liberty and the Indian Courts

en | 1h 42min | 2022
The discussion moderated by PUCL General Secretary, V Suresh, Arvind Narrain, VP Karnataka State PUCL and Kavita Srivastava, National Secretary PUCL

Watch video (PUCL fb page)

● Repeal UAPA – Persecution by Prosecution

Three Day consultation on 20th, 21st and 22nd January, 2021 by PUCL

► Repeal UAPA – Day Three (en + … | 2h 51min | Jan 2021)
► Repeal UAPA – Day Two (en +… | 2h 22min | Jan 2021)
► Repeal UAPA – Day One (en + … | 2h 17min | Jan 2021)

National Campaign to Defend Democracy: 5 years of unjust incarceration under fabricated evidence

National Campaign to Defend Democracy: 5 years of unjust incarceration under fabricated evidence

Counterview / by National Campaign to Defend Democracy

…
The National Campaign to Defend Democracy which is a coalition of over 100 organisations working on human rights issues would like bring to your attention the situation of five years of unjust incarceration under false and fabricated evidence of some of India’s finest intellectuals, thinkers, activists and lawyers.
This injustice which goes by the name of the Bhima Koregaon – Elgar Parishad Conspiracy case – started its nightmarish journey five years ago. Even as of today, 16 noted academics, intellectuals, lawyers, writers, poets, activists, stand charged with conspiring to overthrow the elected government, indulging in terrorist acts, sedition etc., although the evidence the back these tall claims of high treason is still absent.
Read full statement

Also read:
● NIA gets more time to reply to plea for furnishing copies of evidence to the accused (The Leaflet / July 2023)
● Why Courts Are Ignoring Concerns Of Planted Evidence In The Bhima-Koregaon Prosecution (article14 / Jan 2023)
● Incriminating evidence planted in computers: The Trojan solved the Bhima Koregaon case! (Anchored Narratives / Jan 2023)
● Police Linked to Hacking Campaign to Frame Indian Activists (Wired.com / June 2022)

Video: Remembering Father Stan and demand justice for the BK-16!

Video: Remembering Father Stan and demand justice for the BK-16!

Remembering Father Stan and demand justice for the BK-16!

05/07/2023

By People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) / fb Videos

Announcement
Join us to remember Father Stan Swamy, and demand justice for his institutional murder.
We will have family members and friends of the accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, speak about the experience of the prison conditions and this unjust prolonged arrest.
We will also be joined by political leaders, international human rights organisations and lawyers, to help take the campaign forward to defend democracy!
Repeal UAPA!
Release all political prisoners!

en / hindi | 2:49:57 | 2023
Watch recording

Let’s Not Forget Father Stan Swamy!

08/07/2023

Rediff.com / by Jyoti Punwani

The tributes to Father Stan by his associates and his co-accused (which were read out) provided a clue to why his death continues to touch so many.
“We don’t want this to be forgotten or forgiven.” — senior advocate Mihir Desai.
“Do not forget, do not forgive.” This theme ran through the Zoom meeting organised by the National Campaign to Defend Democracy, a coalition of human rights groups, on the second anniversary of Father Stan Swamy’s death.
Read more

Ashirvad and PUCL Karnataka – Remembering Father Stan Swamy

05/07/2023

People’s Union for Civil Liberties fb Videos / by Ashirvad and PUCL Karnataka

Ashirvad and PUCL Karnataka – Remembering Father Stan Swamy
Fr. Frazer, Dr. V Suresh and Maitreyi

en | 18:19min | 2023
Watch recording Part 1

en | 1:07:37 | 2023
Watch recording Part 2

Let us remember Father Stan Swamy and take forward his legacy! Justice for the BK16!

Let us remember Father Stan Swamy and take forward his legacy! Justice for the BK16!

by PUCL India / @PUCLindia (July 4, 2023):
The National Campaign to Defend Democracy, a coalition of over 150 organisations, is hosting a discussion tomorrow at 9 PM to remember Father Stan Swamy & talk about the stories of the accused in the Bhima Koregaon case.
Let’s demand immediate bail and release of all the BK16!

by PUCL India / @PUCLindia (July 4, 2023)
PUCL Karnataka is hosting an event tomorrow at @AshirvadSocial at 5:45 PM!
Join @VSuresh_Rights, Fr. Frazer Mascarenhas and Maitreyi Krishnan (@AilajHq) for a discussion on the work & life of Father Stan Swamy, the abuse of draconian laws like UAPA & the rights of prisoners.

by Jesuit conference of South Asia / @JCSADelhi
On the occasion of the 2nd Death Anniversary of Stan Swamy, you are invited to join a panel discussion on civic literacy and political participation.
#StanSwamy

by Jesuit conference of South Asia / @JCSADelhi (Jul 4, 2023):
We pay tribute to our martyr, Fr. Stan Swamy, on the occasion of the second anniversary of his martyrdom.
#StanSwamy #ReleaseAllPoliticalPrisoners

Stan Swamy Commemorative Convention

by Justice for Father Stan Swamy / @FreeFrStanSwamy (June 23, 2023):
Stan Swamy Commemorative Convention
Children’s Theatre Park, Ernakulam
5th July,
3 p.m. IST

Human rights activists to hold Sankalp Sabhas on July 5

04/07/2023

The Telegraph / by Animesh Bisoee

Activists in Jharkhand have decided to take a pledge to continue their fight for jal, jungle and jameen, along with a demand for punishment to those responsible for ‘murder’ of Stan Swamy.
Human rights activists in Jharkhand have decided to take a pledge to continue their fight for jal (water), jungle (forest) and jameen (land), along with a demand for punishment to those responsible for the “murder” of Stan Swamy, on July 5 which marks the third death anniversary of the Jesuit priest.
Read more

The Challenge to Live Fr. Stan Swamy’s Legacy Today!

04/07/2023

Countercurrents.org / by Cedric Prakash

… Given the grim realities which throttle the nation today, one person whose physical presence is greatly missed today is that of Jesuit Father Stan Swamy. Two years ago on 5 July 2021, he said ‘good-bye’ to us, having completed his pilgrimage here on earth. He was arrested on 8 October 2020 on fabricated charges, incarcerated in the Taloja jail where he suffered very much. His terrible and untimely death is regarded by many as ‘institutional murder’. He has still not been declared ‘innocent’ by the courts. However, Stan (as he was called by all very lovingly) the man, mission and message -lives on in the hearts and lives of thousands everywhere. He has left us with a rich legacy and challenges us to live that legacy today.
Read more

Also read/watch:

Video: Testimony of Stan Swamy, two days before his arrest on 8 October 2020.


en | 7:48 min | Oct 6, 2020
Watch video

I am not a Silent Spectator – Why Truth has become so bitter, Dissent so intolarable, Justice so out of reach

An Autobiographical Fragment, Memory and Reflection


Indian Social Institute, Bangalore | by Stan Swamy | August 2021
Edition: Aug 2021
Publisher: Indian Social Institute, Bangalore
Language: English
Paperback: 149 pages
Access a free PDF copy of the book here

Digital archive on Adivasis named after Father Stan Swamy / Justice for Stan Swamy

Digital archive on Adivasis named after Father Stan Swamy / Justice for Stan Swamy

Independent filmmaker sets up digital archive on Adivasis named after Father Stan Swamy

25/06/2023

The Telegraph / by Animesh Bisoee

The Stan Swamy Archive of Adivasi Narratives is available on YouTube as a repository of videos on the tribal way of life, interviews with achievers and common Adivasis and their problems
An independent filmmaker and poet has set up a digital archive on Adivasis named after Father Stan Swamy, the Jesuit priest and tribal rights activist who died in custody in July 2021 and became a symbol of State repression.
Read more

Stan Swamy Commemorative Convention

by Justice for Father Stan Swamy / @FreeFrStanSwamy
Stan Swamy Commemorative Convention
Children’s Theatre Park, Ernakulam
5th July,
3 p.m. IST

Equality, Liberty, Fraternity: During Emergency and at Present

by Justice for Father Stan Swamy / @FreeFrStanSwamy / program by (PUCL Delhi)
Gandhi Peace Foundation,
New Delhi
24 June,
5.30 p.m. IST

Also read:
● Vigil for Stan Swamy (jesuits.org.uk / June 2023)
● Remembering Stan Swamy. July 5, 2022

PUCL: Five Years of Bhima Koregaon – Release Them All (video)

PUCL: Five Years of Bhima Koregaon – Release Them All (video)


hindi/en | 1h 55min | 2023

By People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL)

Friends,
Join us in remembering the 16 human rights activists who are still charged in the Bhima Koregaon case – many of whom have now spent more than 5 years in jail!

Let us remember
– the quiet dignity of Fr Stan Swamy, even as he lost his life in jail, incarcerated under false charges;
– the mounting injustice of Surendra Gadling, Shoma Sen, Sudhir Dhawale, Rona Wilson,  Mahesh Raut, Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves  spending 5 years in jail,
– the trials and tribulations of the young Jyoti Jagtap, Ramesh Gaichor and Sagar Gorkhe of KKM,  and Prof Hany Babu, arrested later
– and Sudha Bharadwaj, Varvara Rao, Anand Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha, who are on bail, but still not free

Watch recording @ PUCL fb