Editorial Viewpoint
Defaming the dedicated
In their continued efforts to sow community discord, the World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis (WAPIZ) have embarked on a program to defame prominent Parsi Zoroastrians who have worked tirelessly for the community.
The latest salvo was against prominent lawyer Nadir A. Modi. In an article in The Times of India mischievously entitled "Link with builder lands Parsi lawyer in spot (sic)" reporter Swati Deshpande refers to a signature campaign launched "by a priest Bahadur Sanjana and addressed to Dasturji Khurshed (Dastur, High Priest of the Iranshah Atash Behram in Udvada and president) of the Athornan Mandal seeking Modi's removal (as chairman of the Mandal's board of trustees) from the religious body."
His ostensible crime? Fighting a case for Hilla Builders Private Limited who have constructed a multi-storey building in the compound of the Seth Dadabhoy and Seth Mancherji Pestonji Wadia Agiary at Lal Baug. And also for declining to attend the WAPIZ launch bash.
But what the WAPIZ camp and their sympathizers in The Times had not counted on was the individual reporter being unbiased. Thus Modi was given the opportunity to counter the charges which he did most competently. "It is not ethical for a lawyer to decline a brief unless there is personal difficulty," he was quoted as saying. The controversy was "Part of a game of life. (and he wondered) should we bring in communalism before professionalism?"
The Athornan Mandal founded in 1915 consists of around 350 priests and laymen. Its principal activity is managing the 90-year-old Athornan Boarding Madressa in Dadar which prepares young boys for the priesthood. The secretary of the Mandal Ervad Marzban Bhesania says the organization has not officially received any letter seeking Modi's removal. Bhesania also states that Sanjana is not a member of the Mandal and not much is known of him in priestly circles. He is probably like the new delegates from the WAPIZ camp at the Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman of India meeting in Bombay on September 3 and 4, 2005. As Federation president and Bombay Parsi Punchayet chairman Minoo Shroff observed: "I have seen you for only two years. You are all newcomers." Shroff was decrying the tendency of people who had no track record of community service speaking ill of those who had toiled for the community.
The Times report made reference to "over 150 priests and laity of the Parsi community" who have endorsed Sanjana's initiative. But there is no mention of who these people are. Probably more nonentities who most likely haven't the foggiest idea what either the Athornan Mandal or who Nadir Modi is. Modi has fought numerous legal battles for the community without charging fees. It was thanks to his legal acumen that The Parsi Central Association Cooperative Housing Society Limited in Dadar was able to retain covenant land for Parsi residential usage only.
The Times of India has carried a series of articles relating to Zarir Bhathena, the person behind Hilla Builders Private Limited. The Khojeste Mistree-Yazdi Desai camp have been gunning for Bhathena and having lost the legal battles, they decided to turn their guns on whoever sided with Bhathena. Hence the attack on Modi.
The Times bias against liberal Parsi institutions and individuals manifested some months earlier when they carried three front page articles on the proposed sale of the residential bungalow of the Cama family, owners of The Bombay Samachar. Each story stated the bungalow was to be sold to different parties. Why the sale of one bungalow warranted such attention is questionable to say the least.
Around that time the Times' slant against the House of Tatas caused that revered business conglomerate to withhold all advertising in the paper till they changed their editorial policy. The Times was also perhaps the only major daily newspaper that made no mention of the WAPIZ ban on the Parsi Press at the<
The latest salvo was against prominent lawyer Nadir A. Modi. In an article in The Times of India mischievously entitled "Link with builder lands Parsi lawyer in spot (sic)" reporter Swati Deshpande refers to a signature campaign launched "by a priest Bahadur Sanjana and addressed to Dasturji Khurshed (Dastur, High Priest of the Iranshah Atash Behram in Udvada and president) of the Athornan Mandal seeking Modi's removal (as chairman of the Mandal's board of trustees) from the religious body."
His ostensible crime? Fighting a case for Hilla Builders Private Limited who have constructed a multi-storey building in the compound of the Seth Dadabhoy and Seth Mancherji Pestonji Wadia Agiary at Lal Baug. And also for declining to attend the WAPIZ launch bash.
But what the WAPIZ camp and their sympathizers in The Times had not counted on was the individual reporter being unbiased. Thus Modi was given the opportunity to counter the charges which he did most competently. "It is not ethical for a lawyer to decline a brief unless there is personal difficulty," he was quoted as saying. The controversy was "Part of a game of life. (and he wondered) should we bring in communalism before professionalism?"
The Athornan Mandal founded in 1915 consists of around 350 priests and laymen. Its principal activity is managing the 90-year-old Athornan Boarding Madressa in Dadar which prepares young boys for the priesthood. The secretary of the Mandal Ervad Marzban Bhesania says the organization has not officially received any letter seeking Modi's removal. Bhesania also states that Sanjana is not a member of the Mandal and not much is known of him in priestly circles. He is probably like the new delegates from the WAPIZ camp at the Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman of India meeting in Bombay on September 3 and 4, 2005. As Federation president and Bombay Parsi Punchayet chairman Minoo Shroff observed: "I have seen you for only two years. You are all newcomers." Shroff was decrying the tendency of people who had no track record of community service speaking ill of those who had toiled for the community.
The Times report made reference to "over 150 priests and laity of the Parsi community" who have endorsed Sanjana's initiative. But there is no mention of who these people are. Probably more nonentities who most likely haven't the foggiest idea what either the Athornan Mandal or who Nadir Modi is. Modi has fought numerous legal battles for the community without charging fees. It was thanks to his legal acumen that The Parsi Central Association Cooperative Housing Society Limited in Dadar was able to retain covenant land for Parsi residential usage only.
The Times of India has carried a series of articles relating to Zarir Bhathena, the person behind Hilla Builders Private Limited. The Khojeste Mistree-Yazdi Desai camp have been gunning for Bhathena and having lost the legal battles, they decided to turn their guns on whoever sided with Bhathena. Hence the attack on Modi.
The Times bias against liberal Parsi institutions and individuals manifested some months earlier when they carried three front page articles on the proposed sale of the residential bungalow of the Cama family, owners of The Bombay Samachar. Each story stated the bungalow was to be sold to different parties. Why the sale of one bungalow warranted such attention is questionable to say the least.
Around that time the Times' slant against the House of Tatas caused that revered business conglomerate to withhold all advertising in the paper till they changed their editorial policy. The Times was also perhaps the only major daily newspaper that made no mention of the WAPIZ ban on the Parsi Press at the<
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