RTI Gallantry Award to Mr Amit Jethwa

http://nationalrtiforum.org/Amit%20Jethwa-%20Satish%20Shetty%20RTI%20Award.htm

Amit Jethwa was an environmentalist and social worker. He did his Diploma in Pharmacy and L Lb from Saurashtra University. He was active in the Gir Forest area near Junagarh, Gujarat. With the suitable use of RTI, he had filed several court cases against illegal mining in the protected area, by which a large number of influential persons of that area, including Dinu Solanki, the BJP MP from Junagarh, were getting adversely affected. His fight against encroachment of forests and poaching had become legendary in that area. Other powerful persons against whom whom he took a stand included Salman Khan (for shooting Chinkaara) and Aamir Khan (for use of Chinkara in Lagaan). In addition, there were a large number of forest officials, including those from the Indian Forest Service against whom he campaigned vigorously against their corrupt practices. He had also campaigned against shifting of lions to the Kuno Wildlife sanctuary in MP.

Jethwa also actively pursued the provisions of the RTI Act for addressing grievances, and conducted workshops on the procedure to file requests under RTI to prevent corrupt practices and other mal-administration.

Since 2008, he had filed a number of RTI applications probing the activities of an illegal mining lobby operating in the protected forest area just outside the Gir National Park. In mid 2010, he also filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Gujarat High Court, citing evidence found through RTI naming Dinu Solanki and his several relatives, for involvement in the illegal mining in the Gir Forest.

It is for these reasons that on 20 July 2010, shortly after the case against Solanki was filed, Jethwa was shot dead by two assailants on a motorcycle near the Gujarat High Court. A few persons have been arrested so far in the murder case but Amit's father Bhikhabhai Jethwa clearly accuses Dinu Solanki for this murder. We all stand with Sri Bhikhaibhai. Through his supreme sacrifice, Amit has presented a real example of a selfless servant for the cause of humanity and nature, using the RTI to its best use.

The National RTI Forum presents the Satish Shetty RTI Gallantry award to Amit Jethwa posthumously.