Haroobhai Mehta: As we knew him

It was on Saturday, October 21, 01. Haroobhai and I were among the speakers invited to speak at a seminar on terrorism, organized by the Students Islamic Federation of Gujarat. We were seated on the dais when suddenly Haroobhai who was by my side made an impassionate plea to me. "Father", he whispered, "we must do something about what is happening in Gujarat". I was taken aback. Here was a man who was at the forefront of the human rights movement in Gujarat literally asking me to join him in his lifelong struggle. He did something a little more extraordinary then. He showed me a recent edition/copy of the Constitution of India, which he had and asked me whether I would like to have it. I immediately responded in the affirmative. He scribbled a few lines on it for me. At the time, little did I realize that those were going to be his last written lines for me?

In the beginning of year, 2000, small hand-made bombs were made to explode in the newly constructed buildings, by Naved Siddqiue a young and dynamic builder from Ahmedabad. The attempt was one in many launched by the VHP-Bajrang Dal and supported by elected representatives of the BJP to terrorise a ‘Muslim’ builder into selling off and leaving a predominantly Jain locality of Ahmedabad. It was none less than Haroobhai Mehta who was the civil rights lawyer who fought Siidique’s case in the Gujarat High Court. Though unsuccessful in its outcome, for Naved Siddique who is still fighting for justice (and who’s crores of rupees of investments are held up), Haroobhai’s legal assistance was both a source of real and symbolic strength. It meant that many persons of stature and weight, still remained on the side of fairplay and justice.

For Dalits or tribals of Gujarat, for the Muslims minority of the state, of Ahmedabad, Jamnagar, Rajkot and Baroda, two doyens of the legal fraternity have been symbols of hope and lived secularism. Girishbhai Patel and Haroobhai Mehta.

The death of Haroobhai Mehta on December 2, 01 in a road accident while going to Bhavnagar was more than a shock to me and to all these others all over Gujarat. Haroobhai Mehta was a name synonymous with human rights, justice and fair play. Championing, through public interest writ petitions and campaigns, the cause of anyone whom he believed was being wronged.

Since the Christians became targets of violence engineered by groups like the RSS, the VHP and the Bajrang Dal supported by the ruling BJP in Gujarat, I’ve had the privilege of being closely associated with him, consulting him about the various pros and cons of the campaigns that we took up. He helped me understand the deeper implications of events and grasp the legal norms for the necessary response Though very busy, he always found time for this. I still remember the time when he took up the case against the census being selectively taken up against Muslims and Christians. He assiduously educated the bench hearing the matter on various legal precedents and argued the case, which literally tore down the government’s position.

Though a former Congress MP and a founding member of the AICC, he was never known or seen as a Congressman in Gujarat. Neither did he ever, fight shy of taking an independent stand. A few months ago the party had committed a faux pas when, in September 01, on the eve of two forthcoming panchayat bye-elections it had published a pamphlet extolling the virtues of the Manu Smruti (one of the Hindu scriptural texts with distinct anti women and anti oppressed caste statements). Who was the one who exposed the Congress (I)’s suicidal policy through a press conference in Gujarat? None less than Haroobhai Mehta, forcing the party to withdraw the controversial pamphlet immediately.

Even on the day of his sudden death he was vociferously protesting against POTO and how important it was for all thinking and secular minded citizens to oppose this draconian, preventive detention statute. A few days earlier, he shared the podium with Medha Patkar of the Narmada Bachao Andoloan much to the dismay of his fellow Congressmen (who saw his stand politically ‘inexpedient’) and to the glee of his detractors in the BJP! But Haroobhai was a man who had the courage of his convictions and did not tailor his views to anybody’s convenience.

Above all, through his life and actions, he was able to transcend the narrow walls prejudice and bigotry. It was therefore symbolic that his companion in death was his faithful driver, a Muslim – Sherkhan Momin, also a victim of the tragic road accident.

For Haroobhai, humanist and rationalist, the recent growth of violence, bigotry and division in Gujarati society was the source of anguish and torment. Against which he strove to raise his voice and protest. In his death the human rights movement in Gujarat and countrywide, has lost a mentor, friend and guide. The void created by this loss will be hard to fill.

— Fr. Cedric Prakash s.j.