An acrimonious election

With the charity commissioner turning down an appeal by opponent Yazdi Desai for staying the Bombay Parsi Punchayet trusteeship election between himself and incumbent Dinshaw Tamboly, Tamboly tromped home by a three to one margin. Of the 639 votes cast on the 27th September 2003 polling day, Tamboly garnered 490 votes, and Desai 146. Three votes were invalid. But considering that Desai was an unknown entity and had entered the fray late when orthodox candidate Noshir Dadrawala withdrew his papers end August, he fared better than expected.

While it was a foregone conclusion that Tamboly would be elected for the next seven-year term, the only fear was that many voters would not turn up to vote. A front-page editorial in the Jam-e-Jamshed of September 14, declared "Knowing what the result is going to be, some persons with vested interests... have been spreading rumors that there is going to be no election... thereby reducing the victory margin of Tamboly.”

From left: Desai, Tamboly and Dadrawala

Desai has moved the charity commissioner asking for a stay on the elections, noted Tamboly at his election meeting at Rustom Baug on September 18, 2003 and added that his responses to questions might be restricted in view of the election being sub judice. The petition filed against the Punchayet, its seven trustees and chairman emeritus Jamshed Guzder was heard by the charity commissioner on September 23, 2003. The contentions regarding the electoral scheme and misuse of electoral machinery were beyond the limited jurisdiction of the charity commissioner, defence counsel Edul Bharucha had argued. The petitioner wanted the charity commissioner to cancel Tamboly’s nomination and/or postpone the election to give him (Desai) more time to meet the voters from door to door as baug and colony associations were largely unwilling to organize meetings for him, as per Parsiana’s telephonic conversation with Desai’s wife Anahita. They prayed for this relief since the Parsi Press, specifically Jam-e-Jamshed, allegedly gave Desai scant coverage as against massive publicity to Tamboly. (The Jamé has stated they have carried the letters received by them favoring Desai.) Bharucha is said to have argued that if he (Bharucha) were to stand for election against Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee could he remotely expect equal coverage from the national Press? Jamé is not named as the respondent in the petition. Desai was represented by Uma Wagle. The charity commissioner’s oral decision was delivered on September 25th.

Over the weeks leading up to the election, pledging their solidarity to Tamboly were members from the medical fraternity, the legal doyens, the business barons, the khandhias, nassessalars and the workers at Doongerwadi, the different housing colonies as also individuals who vouched for his qualities of head and heart. For Dadrawala initially, and Desai subsequently, there was but a trickle of support. Dadrawala’s rationale for withdrawing from the fray was carried in The Bombay Samachar of August 31: "I was expecting the contest to be based on an objective evaluation of the strengths, performance and the qualities of both candidates. However I have been very disappointed and disturbed by some recent turn of events and the general acrimony which has entirely shifted the focus from the larger community issues to personal attacks. After considerable thought and in deference to the advice of several close friends and well wishers I have decided not to contest this election.” He further cited the different letters carried in the Jam-e-Jamshed of the previous week and his meeting with eminent members of the community. Respecting such sentiments urging him "to display statesmanship,” he obliged, noted Dadrawala.

The Jamé of August 24 had severely chastised Dadrawala in strong words: terming him a "a religious bigot” and "a reincarnation of Brutus.” The editorial faulted Dadrawala for the misdeeds of his campaign team, primarily Anahita Desai, Rohinton Kasad, Neville Muka­dam and others for circulating a leaflet titled "Some disturbing facts about Dinshaw Kaiki Tamboly.” The circular sought to question Tamboly’s loyalty to the BPP, its institutions and its policies in light of his close links with the World Zoroastrian Organisation (WZO) which is known to support liberal views. A copy of a cheque for Rs 4,00,000 signed by Tamboly on behalf of a WZO Trust to financially assist the Jamé and its editor Rusi Dhondy in March 2000 also featured in that circular as it had in the now defunct periodical Parsidom of April 15, 2000. The report which had been "subsequently set straight” in the next issue of Parsidom was reprinted in the Jamé of August 24, 2003 with an editorial from Dhondy: "In the past (Dadra­wala) defended Jam-e-Jamshed and its policies against the likes of the erstwhile editor of Parsidom and certain extremist traditionalists. The same Dadrawala has now chosen, through his campaign team, to denigrate the very same institution he owes so much.” The Jamé cited a ‘message’ dated December 19, 2000 from Dadrawala to Porus Havewalla of the Traditional Zarathushti Mailing List: "WZO had provided some financial assistance to Jamé when it was on the verge of closing down. In response to a written appeal from Jamé, WZO mobilized the funds and helped a community institution from closing down. Do you believe this is a crime?...” Dhondy continued, "If Dadrawala is a man made in the mold that leaders are supposed to be made of, he should have by now claimed moral responsibility for the misdeeds of his campaign team and withdrawn his candidature.” Dadrawala stated in a letter to The Bombay Samachar, dated September 7, that the flyer making the allegations was "neither inspired nor motivated” by him. He added, "In his (Dhondy’s) enthusiasm to play Mark Anthony he has even forgotten who has played Brutus to whom.”

With the news of Dadrawala’s withdrawal the Jamé commended, "Noshir has shown that he has the interest of the community at heart. Noshir’s act is one of good grace and statesmanship.” The Samachar carried Dadrawala’s letter as also the statement by Yazdi Desai: "The lies, the defamation and the suppression and distortion of truth in the Parsi Press has made me very angry. Recently the manner in which a candidate...was bullied into withdrawing his candidature by Tamboly...through a vicious and malicious attack in the Jam-e-Jamshed and through personal pressure has made me decide to stand for election...” Forty-three-year-old Desai, a chartered accountant by training, is a director — finance, legal and administration — at Writer Corporation, a market leader in corporate relocations, information management, cash management, freight forwarding, and travel and lifestyle related services, mentions his manifesto.

"I believe that we must never sacrifice our ethnicity and the customs and traditions of our religion, and I will vigorously and relentlessly strive to preserve them,” declares Desai before elaborating, "I recognize that this election requires courage and strength on my part and on your part as a voter. I recognize that this is an unequal fight, that the playing field is not level and that I am attempting to battle a Goliath.” Describing himself as "a deeply religious person committed to all the established traditions and tenets of the Zoroastrian faith,” Desai states, "I love my ethnicity, my Parsipanu and all the eccentricities that go with it.” As nominee trustee — finance, legal and administration of Kripa Foundation devoted to fighting drug and other substance abuse and related HIV/AIDS affliction, Desai says he has learnt "how a foundation or trust through good corporate governance can provide an excellent support system for the community. This is what I would like to do for the BPP...I affirm a commitment to live out my promise through courage, compassion and character.” Retired police commissioner Julio Ribeiro’s commendation was included in the manifesto: "I am confident that with his background, experience and skills, Yazdi will be a valuable asset to the Parsi community as a trustee of the BPP...He has a remarkable ability to quickly grasp and resolve issues. He is an effective leader and an independent thinker in the true sense of the word.”

Both the Jamé and The Bombay Samachar, while carrying paeans to Tamboly, overtly expressed their disapproval of the younger candidate. "Desai who aspires to be trustee is prone to use abusive, offensive and unparliamentary language and appears to believe that aggression is a traditional way of life. If this is traditionalism that Desai projects, then let us say it here and now — it stinks,” noted the Jamé editor in the issue of September 14, advising him "to use civil and parliamentary language before approaching a dignified newspaper like Jamé that has a long and distinguished history of 171 years in the service of the community. Have you served the community for even 171 minutes, Mr Desai? Please learn to conduct yourself properly and then expect Jamé to support you.”

Anahita Desai, previously supporting Dadrawala’s candidature, had in her letter dated August 22, to Jamé, questioned Mancher Daruwalla’s claim that he had received more than Rs 30 lakhs from the WZO through Tamboly for the surgery of his daughter Jennifer. "I request you to kindly make available for my inspection all original documents in evidence of the above statement... failure to produce the relevant documents will be liable to, among others, action under the Evidence Act,” wrote Desai.

In another letter of the same date jointly signed by her, Mukadam, Kasad and Homai Bhaya they were protesting against the Jamé’s "most unjustified and virulent attack on Adi F. Doctor in particular and on the traditionalists in general” wherein it had "attributed to all of us the preference to cremation as against dakhmenashini. This has caused thousands of our Parsi Zoroastrian community tremendous anguish. Since no reference has been made to you and your paper in The Parsee Voice, or otherwise, your insult is unprovoked and fraught with malice. (After nearly 20 years of silence, The Parsee Voice staged a comeback with its issue of August 1-15, 2003 which was perceived as a mouthpiece for the orthodox support assured for Dadrawala. The editorial "Risen from the ashes,” by Doctor had earned some tongue-in-cheek comments from the Jamé editor.) Your conduct over the years has established a pattern which can be described in the least, as derogatory of the general sentiments of the Parsi Zoroastrian community. It is our earnest request to you to tender an unconditional apology in your immediate issue of Jam-e-Jamshed failing which we will have no choice but to move the appropriate courts/authorities to seek redress which may include but not be limited to closing down of your publication.” Refusing to be "cowed down by threats” Jamé published these letters in its issue of August 31 "to give the community a ringside view of the depravity of minds.”

Describing Desai variously as "the candidate of the Lunatic Fringe” and "a prize fruitcake” The Samachar then proceeded to carry the 2002 e-mail correspondence between Desai (then in favor of sitting trustee Rustom Tirandaz) and Hushidar Khurshed Gandhi (supporting Maneck Engineer who won the election). Desai had used the occasion to attack Engineer as "Midget Maneck” and vilify the Godrej family, Engineer being an employee of that organization. The Samachar’s "Parsi tari arsi” column of September 14 added, "Gustad Gossip informs us that Desai will get about 35 votes and in the process, will succeed in carving out a larger than life image of Tamboly!...”

At Tamboly’s Rustom Baug meet and Desai’s meeting with voters in Dadar, the main contention against Tamboly had featured around the absence of the prefix Parsi wherever the term Zoroastrian was used in the constitution of the WZO and the proposed world body. Tamboly’s work for the community was strongly defended by his supporters at both the meets.

The allegations by Anahita Desai and her league members were refuted in the Press by Tamboly after which Yazdi Desai had another swipe at his chief contender, reinforcing the "negativity” in his election campaign. In contrast, a confident Tamboly remarked in his message to the voters, "I do believe that my track record has established my suitability to serve another term... As far as I am concerned I remain steadfast in my commitment to give generously of my time and talent for our community and am determined to steer it onto the path of progress and economic resurgence.”

(With inputs from Arnavaz S. Mama)