Girish Patel

Girishbhai Patel, a prominent revolutionary is remembered on this day in Hirak Mahotsav Khand, Gujarat Vidyapith Ahmedabad. A lawyer who chose education by nature. He envisioned for education which would be liberating for the learners. He  was a genuine and naive personality. He earned a scholarship from Harward University in 1959. He used to say that Moslems were given option to return to India in six months if they didn't find comfortable there.

     Girishbhai Patel led many movements for farming, democracy and constructive ideas in society. He led movements against the MISA law. His efforts helped in founding 'Lok Adhikar Sangh' in 1978. He gave up the government job of law member in Navnirman movement of Gujarat. He was indeed public intellectual. He fought for dalits, who can forget Sakra case of 1980s?
Girishbhai struggled for the implementation of PIL. His efforts freed thousands of labors from sugarcane slavery. In IFCO case, his PIL freed bonded laborers. In Sabarkhantha, he helped free 11 Adivasi laborers locked by the local farmers. He has written a book on Narmada project: 'નર્મદા યોજના કોના માટે, કોના ભોગે'.

Medha Patkar attended the program and called Girishbhai as the Gandhi of Gujarat. Patkar also said that only judiciary can not be called the representatives of pulic. Those who stand to have these constitutional laws properly implemented for the helpless in society.

He termed exploitive policy of the government as black angrez. Patkar severely criticized the current government policies and celebration for Sardar Sarovar and statue of liberty. She also mentioned the autocratic decisions of the government regarding Kashmir, NRC. Patkar appealed people to understand the need of composite and wholesome ideology of Gandhi, Ambedkar, Periyar. Patkar said that mob lynching and mass lynching are parallel in this hard time. She acknowledged that she failed to save Narmada river and told that nothing is any more certain.

Reputed intellectual Prakash Shah said bluntly that this discussion must concentrate on BJP and Bharat. He reminded of diversity in India. Ghansyam Shah too criticized the idea of today's nationalism. He showed fear on possible side effects of NRC. Shah also said that mere struggle will not be sufficient but public awakening is equally important for current movements.

Jignesh Mevani praised Girish Patel as a leader of all. He proposed for an award named on name of Girishbhai Patel. He also proposed to unite a strong  cadre of all such social activists in order to stand against the inequalities of system.