StellaWindsor21 at 18:54, 14 March 2026

2026-03-14T18:54:47Z

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{{Short description|Indian human rights lawyer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = M. C. Bhatt
| image = MC Bhatt.jpg
| birth_name = Mahesh Chandrakant Bhatt
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1939|02|06|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Dholka]], [[Gujarat]], [[India]]
| education = L.L.B.
| occupation = Advocate
| spouse = Daksha M. Bhatt
}}

'''M. C. Bhatt''' (born 6 February 1939) is an Indian [[human rights lawyer]] and [[Human rights activist|activist]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Senior rights activist MC Bhatt calls it a day |url=https://ahmedabadmirror.com/senior-rights-activist-mc-bhatt-calls-it-a-day/81828137.html |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=Ahmedabad Mirror |language=en}}</ref> He practiced at [[Gujarat High Court]] in [[Ahmedabad]] from 1962 to 2022.

== Career ==

Concerns were raised in 1980s about lack of appropriate compensation for sugar factory harvest workers in South Gujarat. M. C. Bhatt was appointed court commissioner for inquiry into this matter. His report resulted in payment of minimum wages to 1 lakh 25 thousand migrant workers at 9 sugar factories and set a precedent.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Breman |first=Jan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X7myAAAAIAAJ |title=Wage Hunters and Gatherers: Search for Work in the Urban and Rural Economy of South Gujarat |date=1994 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-563556-0 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Shah |first=Ghanshyam |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mdzsAAAAMAAJ |title=Capitalist Development: Critical Essays |date=1990 |publisher=Popular Prakashan |isbn=978-0-86132-270-1 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1Ypoi75jabcC |title=Times of India Illustrated Weekly |date=1987 |publisher=Published for the proprietors, Bennett, Coleman & Company, Limited, at the Times of India Press |language=en}}</ref> Similarly, concerns were raised regarding use of bonded labour at [[IFFCO]]. Bhatt conducted inquiry as court commissioner which ultimately resulted in release of the bonded labourers.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yzuTAAAAIAAJ |title=India Today |date=1983 |publisher=Thomson Living Media India Limited |language=en}}</ref>

The state of Gujarat has experienced communal violence over several decades starting long before the [[2002 Gujarat riots|2002 riots]]. Bhatt fought for rights of Muslims and provided legal representation.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Engineer |first=Asghar Ali |date=1985 |title=Communal Fire Engulfs Ahmedabad Once Again |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4374559 |journal=Economic and Political Weekly |volume=20 |issue=27 |pages=1116–1120 |jstor=4374559 |issn=0012-9976}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Engineer |first=Asghar Ali |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fEs9AAAAMAAJ |title=Communalism and Communal Violence in India: An Analytical Approach to Hindu-Muslim Conflict |date=1989 |publisher=Ajanta Publications (India) |isbn=978-81-202-0220-7 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2003-07-01 |title=Pota court to decide on Umarji bail on July 4 |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/pota-court-to-decide-on-umarji-bail-on-july-4/articleshow/52721.cms |access-date=2023-02-25 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-07-21 |title=Gujarat HC issues notice to govt over Maulvi bail's plea |url=https://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/gujarat-hc-issues-notice-to-govt-over-maulvi-bails-plea_112232.html |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=Zee News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Appeal to Centre not to pass Bill - Indian Express |url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/appeal-to-centre-not-to-pass-bill/361527/ |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=archive.indianexpress.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Onlinevolunteers.org - Convention On The Present Situation In Gujarat (Delhi, July 14) : Gujarat Carnage: The Aftermath |url=https://www.onlinevolunteers.org/gujarat/events/delhi-convention.htm |access-date=2023-02-26 |website=www.onlinevolunteers.org}}</ref>

Industrial development in Gujarat has seen land of small farmers acquired by the state. Bhatt has provided legal representation to small farmers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Railway Corridor Virodh Kishan Sangh v. Union Of India, Gujarat High Court, Judgment, Law, casemine.com |url=https://www.casemine.com/judgement/in/5ac5e4694a93261aa7929cb8 |access-date=2023-02-26}}</ref>

The current [[Chief Justice of India|Chief Justice]] of [[Kerala High Court]] Justice [[Ashish Jitendra Desai]] previously worked under the mentorship of Bhatt.<ref>{{Cite web |title=High Court of Gujarat |url=https://gujarathighcourt.nic.in/cjjfull?jid=439 |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=gujarathighcourt.nic.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Upadhyay |first=Sparsh |date=2023-02-24 |title=Justice Ashish Jitendra Desai Appointed As The Acting Chief Justice Of Gujarat High Court |url=https://www.livelaw.in/news-updates/justice-ashish-jitendra-desai-appointed-acting-chief-justice-gujarat-high-court-222406 |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=www.livelaw.in |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=VoI |first=Team |date=2023-02-24 |title=Justice Ashish Jitendra Desai To Be Gujarat HC Acting Chief Justice |url=https://www.vibesofindia.com/justice-ashish-jitendra-desai-to-be-gujarat-hc-acting-chief-justice/ |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=Vibes Of India |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-25 |title=Justice A J Desai appointed as acting Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court |url=https://www.deshgujarat.com/2023/02/25/justice-a-j-desai-appointed-as-acting-chief-justice-of-gujarat-high-court/ |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=DeshGujarat |language=en-US}}</ref>

Bhatt has been a close associate of [[Girishbhai Patel|Girish Patel]] including for work on behalf of those displaced by [[Sardar Sarovar Dam]], and of [[Mukul Sinha]] for several rights issues.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Memorandum to the government on principles and provisions for rehabilitation and reconstruction policy in earthquake affected areas of Gujarat (EARRS) - Ahmedabad |url=https://www.onlinevolunteers.org/relief/earss0213-memo.html |access-date=2023-02-26 |website=www.onlinevolunteers.org}}</ref>

Bhatt is a vocal critic of [[Bharatiya Janata Party]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sabarimala is India's Little Rock Moment, Govt Must Deploy Troops to Implement the Court Order |url=https://thewire.in/law/sabarimala-verdict-supreme-court-india-little-rock |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=The Wire}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Samay |first=NavGujarat |title=લોકડાઉનમાં હડધૂત થયેલા લાખો માઇગ્રન્ટ શ્રમિકો અને આપણું ગુલાગ પ્રજાસત્તાક |url=https://navgujaratsamay.com/indias-poor-and-labor-struggle-during-lockdown-due-to-coronavirus/176212.html |access-date=2023-02-26 |website=Ahmedabad Mirror |language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhatt, M. C.}}
[[Category:Indian human rights activists]]
[[Category:Indian civil rights activists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian lawyers]]
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Ahmedabad district]]
[[Category:Indian critics of religions]]

M. C. Bhatt - Revision history

StellaWindsor21 at 18:54, 14 March 2026