Readers' Forum
“We are bigger than...”
This refers to the article "We are bigger than the Dadar community” (Parsiana, August 2003) based on your interview with Ervad Kobad Zarolia, president of the Ontario Zoroastrian Community Foundation (OZCF).
When Ervad Zarolia was elected as president of the Zoroastrian Society of Ontario (ZSO) in 1998, it was through his overwhelming use of proxies. I find it surprising that Zarolia found proxies objectionable when he lost several subsequent votes. It may also be noted that the OZCF which he leads also uses proxy voting.
In the February-March 1999 issue of Parsiana Zarolia (who was the president of the ZSO at that time) had made a statement that "the ZSO project to acquire a new place began two years ago but has only collected $ 55,000 so far.” These monies have not yet been turned over to the ZSO.
In March 2000, Zarolia (who was still president of the ZSO) convened a general body meeting to transfer $ 300,000 of ZSO money (which had been predominantly donated for the current center) to fund another center closer to his own home. The meeting was called on very short notice during the March break, when a large section of the community was on vacation. Zarolia’s action was widely viewed as self-serving and inconsistent with the interests of the community. Zarolia’s motion was defeated.
In the summer of 2000, Zarolia ran a slate of candidates in an attempt to capture the ZSO executive committee. All the Zarolia candidates were defeated. A Zarolia supporter, became so agitated at the crushing defeat of the Zarolia faction that he rushed to violently attack the treasurer elect and had to be physically restrained. This supporter is now a director of the OZCF.
During Zarolia’s presidency of the ZSO he had repeatedly informed the community that an expanded center could not be developed at the current site. Subsequently, the committee appointed to investigate all options for expansion, concluded that a large hall to accommodate almost 1,000 persons could indeed be developed at the current site.
After a very extensive debate over 18 months, at a historic vote held on October 21, 2001, 78 percent of the community voted for Option # 1 which was "to demolish the current center and re-build another center at the very same location.” Option # 2, which was to "sell the existing center and build a new center at a different location” garnered 12 percent of the vote; Option # 3 (which was heavily backed by the Zarolia faction), which was to "build a second center at a different location in addition to the existing center,” garnered only 10 percent of the vote. Throughout the period of the debate, the Zarolia faction had used several strong-arm tactics such as a petition to call the vote even before the committee’s report was presented, using their own children for various "youth meetings” to drum up support for a center — near Zarolia’s own home. The Zarolia faction was again defeated.
The ZSO then embarked upon establishing a fund-raising committee under the leadership of Dr Dhun Noria — an eminent and highly respected lady in the Canadian medical establishment. Noria reached out to the Zarolia faction to invite them into the fund-raising committee, even agreeing to raise funds for a second center after completing the reconstruction of the current center per the 78 percent mandate. Instead, the Zarolia faction launched the OZCF to directly compete against the ZSO for exactly the same dollars from exactly the same donors, at exactly the same time.
The OZCF leadership primarily consists of candidates who were defeated in various ZSO elections. With a track-record of unprincipled positions, questionable financial practices, violence, strong-arm tactics and underhand petitions is it any wonder that the Zarolia faction has been consistently rejected by the respectable members of the Toronto community as represented by the 1,200 strong membership of the ZSO?
Zarolia did not leave in peace. A series of attacks were unleashed against the ZSO consisting of petitions, anonymous letters/phone calls to the neighbors and police. Since the OZCF would be the only beneficiary if the ZSO project failed, Zoroastrians logically concluded that the source of these tactics was the OZCF:
•On May 20, 2002 the OZCF held its inaugural jashan. A petition to "rescind the ZSO vote of October 2001,” was widely circulated. A special table was set up for distributing the petition, signatures were openly solicited by individuals officiating at the OZCF function.
•The OZCF staged a slate of candidates for the ZSO elections in 2002 to seize control of the ZSO (in a veritable coup d’etat) and to promote the motion to rescind the 78 percent vote of October 2001.
•An "anonymous” letter was circulated to the residents on the street on which the current center is located, that a 900+ person banquet hall was to be constructed at the Meherban Guiv Darbe Mehr (MGDM) site, which would cause acute traffic problems.
•While the AGM was in progress, the police were "anonymously” called to serve parking tickets to ZSO members’ vehicles.
•At the ZSO AGM of 2002, a large number of allegedly fraudulent ballots were discovered. Over the next few weeks, the ZSO investigated each and every alleged fraudulent ballot; signatures were verified. When the final results were announced, all the OZCF (the Zarolia faction) candidates were declared defeated. All the alleged fraudulent ballots have been handed over to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for fraud investigation and the matter is subjudice.
S. J. BHARUCHA
Ontario, Canada
OZCF president Kobad Zarolia replies
It is regrettable that Bharucha has undermined the fundamental concepts of Zoroastrianism through his ill-spirited and illogical comments. He continues to misinform his fellow Zarathushtis with deceit and malicious accusations, incorrect statements, innuendos and general contempt. His oft-expressed diatribe is directed against me personally as well as the OZCF. I would now like to clarify each issue in order:
•On the issue of proxies, Bharucha fails to present accurate facts. OZCF has a limit of only two proxies per individual. A system of unlimited proxies is often misused and does not always truly reflect the views of those offering the proxy, since they are not in attendance at the meeting to engage in discussion.
•On his accusation of my collecting $ 55,000, he has again not presented the facts. Prior to my election as president of ZSO, a group of like-minded and dedicated Zoroastrians pursued the concept of building an agiary. As a testament of their trust in me, they sent me personal cheques. The monies were collected outside of any charitable trust so that the money could be returned should the project not have proceeded. Upon abandonment of the project soon thereafter due to inadequate funds, the monies were returned to all the contributors immediately.
•His accusation of spending $ 300,000 of ZSO money to fund a center closer to my own home is astoundingly bizarre and illogical. A community meeting was held to present the findings of a building committee that was set up to investigate future options for a center. The meeting was conducted professionally with organized presentations. Since the future vision of a larger center was still in conceptual stage, there was never any discussion of where such a center would be built. The open and transparent nature of the meeting obviously did not appeal to Bharucha.
•On his confusing and wrongful statements about strong-arm tactics, underhand petitions, questionable financial practices, and unprincipled positions of the OZCF leadership, all we can say is that the board of directors comprises professionals from all walks of life, dedicated to serving Zoroastrian interests. Furthermore, our membership also consists of various credible professionals. About OZCF leadership primarily consisting of candidates defeated in ZSO elections, the fact of the matter is that most directors have never run for ZSO elections with me.
•I would rather not lower myself to Bharucha’s level and criticise hard working ZSO volunteers but would like to advise Bharucha of the tremendous support we have received from Zoroastrians, within and outside our community, with over 500 members and over $ 850,000 collected. So how does that sound for an organization formed only two years ago, and according to Bharucha, representing only 22 percent of the total population?
•I would like to clarify that most OZCF members and the entire board of directors and their families, continue to be ZSO members. The OZCF has a vision of purchasing a parcel of land and building a place of worship and community center on an expanding basis to accommodate future growth. We have always promoted the concept of a larger combined facility with ZSO and keeping the current facility as is with minor repairs. Selling the existing facility is another option, however there are many sentiments attached to it. Ultimately, the community must decide what it wishes to do with it. However, the ZSO continues to hold strong to their position of tearing down the entire existing structure and rebuilding at the existing site. So we are left with no option but to buy a large enough parcel of land to build a facility to meet the needs for future generations of Zoroastrians.
•On his ghastly suggestion of a "series of terror attacks” being unleashed by OZCF, no director of OZCF has ever called, spoken or written to neighbors to petition them. As a matter of fact, we openly discourage such action. We are after all Zoroastrians committed to the same cause. On his claim that the existing center will be rebuilt to accommodate over 900 people, it is baffling to understand how such a facility will be comfortably built for so many people and the car parking spaces that will be required, on a one acre parcel. The other one-acre parcel attached to the site cannot be legally built on since this is considered green space by the municipality. Why would a community invest two million dollars to build a facility that does not take into consideration future growth, on a site already stretched to its capacity? The neighbors around this tightly knit and expensive enclave of homes are well aware of the expansion plans and are deeply concerned over the inconvenience that will be caused by the parking and noise problems and devaluation of their properties. They have already been complaining for a long time about the parking on their streets and noise, with less than half of the anticipated 900 plus currently using the facility. The police have often been called out and have ticketed people parked illegally. Bharucha should address these concerns directly with the neighbors and ZSO executive, rather than blaming the OZCF.
•Bharucha suggested that I had something to do with fraudulent ballots. Neither I nor our board of directors would ever partake in such illegal activities. We do hope that the RCMP find the culprits and punish them.
Such derogatory commentary as presented by Bharucha only serves to provoke ill will among community members. Instead he is well advised to divert his negative energies towards encouraging positive discourse on unity and harmony.
We as a civilized and democratic society, enjoy the privilege of freedom of speech and expression. Within our Zoroastrian communities, we always encourage healthy and constructive criticism. We promote meaningful debate on community issues. However, let us do so with decency, objectivity and intellect.
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