Visnagar (Gujarat), August 31: In Gujarat, a 94-year-old freedom fighter is fasting to death. A friend and follower of Vinoba Bhave, Dr Dwarkadas Joshi says he has decided to imitate the way his idol chose to die.
It has been two weeks since Dr Joshi, a freedom fighter, stopped taking food.
He has been lying on his bed at his house in Gujarat’s Visnagar even as concerned friends and relatives have begun to trickle in to pay their respects.
Dr Joshi decided to end his life after he met with an accident
“He feel down in the kitchen and broke his leg. He then told us that he had lived his life and now wants to end it,” said Dr Joshi’ son Dr Mihir Joshi.
Dr Joshi spent years in the company of Gandhiji and Vinobha Bhave. His son, Dr Mihir says Dr Joshi decided to end his life like his hero Vinobha Bhave did way back in 1982.
“He has been consuming only water… nothing else. He told me he wanted to end life the way Bhave did.” added Dr Mihir.
In fact it was on the advice of Bhave and Gandhiji that Dr Joshi left a lucrative medical practice in Mumbai and dedicated his life to serving the poor.
Dr Joshi and his team have performed nearly 4 lakh eye surgeries in the past five decades. His decision to end a long and fruitful life has left many in this part of Gujarat, where he is so respected, filled with sorrow.
–Agencies