Girish Patel was an ardent supporter of Narmada dam-affected people: NBA

By Our Representative
The Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) has described the demise of advocate Girish Patel on October 6, 2018 morning a great loss to all people's struggles and causes of democratic and human rights. Calling him a legal luminary and social activist, who remained committed to all causes of human and Constitutional rights as well as civil liberties, NBA, in a statement signed, among others, by Medha Patkar, says, "He was an ardent supported of the movement by the Narmada dam-affected in Gujarat, taking a courageous and confident position."
NBA particularly recalls that Girish Patel's book "Kona bhoge, Kona mate", saying, it raised "all the issues related to the Sardar Sarovar dam which have proved to be correct even today". It adds, "He was active in various ways against atrocities against dalits, adivasis and influenced hundreds and thousands of social activists to sensitise intellectuals, including lawyers and law students, who he continued to educate till his last breathe."
Noting how he with "utmost sensitivity, courage of conviction, grit of the greatest order, remarkable articulation, determination" swam "against the tide", NBA says, "As the founder of Lok Adhikar Sangh in Gujarat he supported the legal and mass battles of dalits, adivasis, the displaced, labour class, as well as the harassed and government employees facing legal violation."
Others who have signed the statement are Devram Kanera, Kamla Yadav, Mukesh Bhagoriya, and Jagdish Patel.

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