Bengalee at IPZA

Member of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) Dr Mehroo D. Bengalee was invited to address the Indore Parsi Zoroastrian Anju-man (IPZA) and brief them about the various activities of the NCM with special reference to the Parsi community on March 16, 2008, as per a write-up sent to Parsiana by Col (Retd) F. B. Allavali, honorary secretary of the IPZA.

The initiative for the event was taken by IPZA president Bomi Heerjee who welcomed the guest and presented her with flowers and a shawl. Heerjee said that since Bengalee was the first member of the NCM to visit Indore, the audience would do well to clarify all their questions regarding financial and educational help available from the NCM. Ours being a small community, dwindling numbers are a great challenge, he said, ruing the fact that for Bengalee’s research project to study the Parsi birth rate from 2001 until August 15, 2007 many anjumans from Gujarat and Maharashtra did not furnish the information required for her report, the write-up reveals. Published in early 2008, the report is titled Research Project Report on All India Birth Rate of Parsi-Zoroastrians from 2001 till August 15, 2007 (see "Right thinking,” Books, Parsiana, February 21, 2008).

Bengalee informed those present that matters placed by her before the NCM include problems of Parsi children seeking admission in professional colleges, encroachment on Parsi owned properties and defunct anjuman properties, restoration of Udvada village, preservation of vultures, all fire temples to be covered under heritage rules, amendment to the adoption bill which Parsis had protested against, non-presence of Parsi representatives on state minorities commissions except in Madhya Pradesh where Sam Pavri has been nominated. She revealed that she would focus on the plight of the community and seek concessions for it.

Enunciating her fears over the break up of the joint family system and the erosion of time-tested values and traditions, she said that parents take good care of their children while they are in school but during the crucial ages of 16 to 24 years children are given total freedom as a result of which many of them go off the tracks.

Bengalee advised earlier marriages in the age group of 25-30 years, instead of the 30-35 as at present, to improve the demographic profile.

A sum of Rs 7,000 crores has been set aside in the 11th Five Year Plan for the development of minorities and the Prime Minister’s 15-point program will bring innumerable opportunities for Parsis in education, employment and self-employment, Bengalee revealed. The areas focused on are free education for minority poor and underprivileged, free tuition fees for preparation of public service examinations, finance for housing colonies and loans to Zoroastrian entrepreneurs from banks. At the question and answer session that followed, Bengalee answered all the queries put to her by the audience, the write-up concludes.