BPP elections

I hung my head in shame when my non-Parsi friends who read the report in The Times of India dated October 5, 2008 looked aghast and said: "We never expected the Parsis to behave this way.” It shows how much respect we are still held in, and what have we done!

I supported adult franchise but I now feel our elders were wise. They had some inkling of what would take place and thus shied away from adult franchise. Where are the dignity, culture and respect in which they were held? We looked up to our elders because they deserved it. They worked quietly and diligently and if a dispute arose they sorted it out amongst themselves without making a big fuss. So what’s happened to that caliber of a Parsi? I knew a gentleman who was offered trusteeship of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) but declined as he said he was still working and would not be able to do justice to his position. How many would turn down such an offer today? The reasons for this are quite clear.

We dare to criticize the present government, saying that the present day politicians have come to power only because of various forms of bribes given to the poor. What are we Parsis doing — what is the reason behind giving all these lavish dinners? If you want to become a trustee to serve our community, is all this necessary? What is your gain? I know a good meal is always important to a Parsi, but under what circumstances? Today even the basic idea of a gahanbar is lost. It was originally to feed the poor of our community. Today well-to-do people go to enjoy themselves and the basic purpose is entirely lost.

So far I have criticized only those standing for election, but I would like to know how members of our community could behave in this way. Is it only goondagiri that is taught these days? Shame!

For goodness sake, wake up. We are not only declining in numbers but in behavior and sensibility as well. I never believed in physical violence but right now what we Parsis need is a sound thrashing!

MEHROO S. KHAREGAT

Meherbai36@hotmail.com

I notice that whereas the candidates of Adult Franchise for Progress (AFP) conduct themselves with dignity and restraint, whatever their personal views, all World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis (WAPIZ) seems to be doing is mud slinging and name-calling. Have they so little to say for themselves that they should indulge in vilifying others, which in itself is nauseating and, I am afraid, shows them in a very poor light?

MUCCOO M. SURVEYOR

muccoosurveyor@hotmail.com

In September 2008 I received a letter from the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP). Confused, I thought it was a response to my application for accommodation made to the BPP in 1950. I opened the envelope and found it was a call to voters to collect their certificates of registration for the elections of the board of trustees. Hoping to have a better board, and unwilling to waste my valuable vote, I went and collected my certificate.

Now I am a registered voter of Bombay. Following the tradition that there should be nine leaders among every 10 Parsis, I decided to declare my candidature for trusteeship of the BPP, which has now become the Blood Pressure of Parsis due to the excitement of the election. I sat down to write my manic-festo as under:

"Bombay Parsis, please note.

"Note and vote for me.

"I am Mr R. P. the Registered Parsi. I am very experienced particularly at attending anjuman meetings. I first exercised adult franchise in my home town’s anjuman 60 years back, when I was 21 years of age. But due to frequent fights among the groups of members under the democratic set-up there, I got disgusted and left. I came to Bombay because the advanced community of this city had no adult franchise.

"I hail from Gujarat and I write and speak shuddh (pure) Gujarati. But I am writing my manic-festo in English because you Bombay Parsis do not understand your mother tongue. You speak some other tongue using ABC (alphabetic abbreviations) to identify yourselves and your associations. I do not have a mouthpiece or mouth organ to sing my songs. I appeal in a hush-hush voice. Listen Parsis, I am a clean man and I want a clean election. I will not serve snacks or bhona (food) at the election meetings. Please carry your own tiffin box and water bottle. Remember, you are stepping into the nursery class to learn the ABC of democracy. Always carry your registration certificate. It is enough. It does not matter whether you came from Navsari or New York. Behave as adults at the polls. Polls are not poles for monkey tricks.

"Vote for me! I am one of the oldest surviving Parsis — a super senior Parsi. I am an independent candidate. You do not expect a super senior to mix and play with those three-year-old or one-year-old kids. I am neither a Whirling Around Parsi Irani Zoroastrian nor an Altu-Faltu Parsi. I hate groupism and the party system.

"I do not like to sit on a chair of the board. It is too sticky. The carpenter has used too much of "favouri col” on its seat. I will sit on a sidi (step) or a sadadi (mat) to serve my community. I use table and chair only when I have bhona on a banana leaf.

"Do not fall for groupism or party politics. It will divide, break up and disintegrate our small community. At the same time, a board of mixed groups is likely to break up midway due to lack of harmony and unity.

"Act with wisdom, comprehension and honesty. Act like an adult, mature, united community. We all are the beneficiaries of the BPP funds and properties which are blessings from our forefathers to all of us.”

RUSI PARDIWALA