Father Stan Swamy's death: Oppn leaders write to Prez for his intervention

Leaders of 10 opposition parties Tuesday wrote to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking his intervention in holding accountable those responsible for "foisting false cases" on tribal rights activist Father Stan Swamy, his continued detention in jail and "inhuman treatment" allegedly meted out to him.

The letter comes a day after Father Stan Swamy died at a Mumbai hospital during treatment.

The signatories include Congress president Sonia Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren (JMM), former prime minister and JDS leader HD Deve Gowda and NC leader Farooq Abdullah, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, D Raja (CPI) and Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) have also signed the letter.

"We the undersigned leaders of major opposition parties are writing to you in deep anguish expressing our intense grief and outrage at the death of Father Stan Swamy under custody," they said in their letter to the president.

"We are urging your immediate intervention as the President of India to direct your government to act against those responsible for foisting false cases on him, his continued detention in jail and inhuman treatment," they said.