Friends,
I first came to know of Sri Amit Jethava
on 6th of March 2010 when
another active and respected social activist Sri J. P. Shah of Junagadh-Gujarat
got me introduced to Sri Amit. At that time,
we were doing the initial work for the National
RTI Forum and were requesting the RTI activists all around to get in touch
and get united.
Sri Amit was a very good friend of Sri J P Shah and through him he corresponded
with me. A part of his email I produce before you to show what kind of a person
Sri Amit Jethava was-
“Respected Shri Amitabh Thakurji
Received your mail on RTI forum through J P Shah, good idea for RTI awareness
and implementation.
I would like to take chance to inform you regarding work on RTI carried out by
us in individual and organisation capacity.”
He also introduced his work in the following words-
“We are running Mahiti Adhikar Nagrik Mandal based at Taluka place Khambha Di.
Amreli in Saurashtra region of Gujarat State. We are running counseling center
on every Sunday.
We also filed PIL for appointment of Information Commissioner in Gujarat
Information Commission. 2 ICs post sanctioned by the State but no steps taken
for appointment. “
He was always deeply involved in issues related with RTI. This can be seen from
his mail sent on 7th March-
“Recently we seek information from each Collector and Municipal Commissioner to
whom Government has allotted fund for awareness under Section - 26 of the RTI
Act - 2005.
Received information from many districts that the fund kept unutilized, so we
urged to all Collectors and Municipal Commissioners to utilize the fund before
31st March - 2010 otherwise the grant will be lapse.
What is your opinion for publicity under section - 26 of the RTI Act - 2005.
Thanks, Amit B. Jethava”
We felt really happy to get associated with Sri Amit and he accepted our
request to function as the State Coordinator
of the National RTI Forum at Gujarat.
His concern for his work can easily be
felt from this following mail sent by him to the Forum .
“I am very busy in regular work of my profession as well as environment and
local RTI activities.
Please send details regarding work of state coordinator so that I can start as
early as possible. “
We from the Forum have lost a very able, just and dynamic friend
who was one of the rarest kind. From whatever information we are gathering from
the Press, it is obvious that he was killed for his activities related with RTI
and social activism, both as an environmentalist and a wild-life preserver. It
is
also being said that very powerful people in the region could be directly
related with the murder. His father has
presumably directly named a powerful Member of Parliament as an accused. I
tried to talk with his father but was unable as no one was picking up the
phone. But we shall go on keeping a very close eye at the investigations of
this case which is related with one of our dearest associates, who has been
murdered solely for his dynamic and selfless acts. This is a most dastardly act
which we strongly condemn withy the severest of words.
May Sri Amit Jethava live forever.
Amitabh Thakur,
President,
National RTI Forum,
Lucknow
# 94155-34526
