Pride and prejudice

The objective of the Anjuman meeting called by the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) trustees was to "give an overview of their one-year performance with facts and figures for the community to know and understand as to what your elected representatives have done during the year.” Instead, the evening program on October 25, 2009 at the Dadar Parsee Colony Gymkhana ended up as a litany of abuse against their critics.

What probably triggered the diatribe was the one-hour limitation on the use of the microphone. As BPP chairman Din­shaw Mehta noted at the start of the half hour delayed meeting, "Our detractors as usual have been able to even thwart us in holding this AGM (annual general meeting). After a lot of persuasion and a lot of effort…we have just been told we have one hour after which the loudspeaker will be switched off. Function after function has been held here and there has never been a problem…we have been told by the (Matunga) police station that complaint after complaint has been made by members of the Parsi community and now loudspeakers have been banned by the High Court.”

He then turned his wrath against the Jam-e-Jamshed Weekly noting that this very day, Sunday, the paper attacked the trustees "instead of praising us for holding the Anjuman meeting which the last board never did even for the past six years because they were not ready to face the community” though they were legally obligated to do so. Under a banner headline story that stated "Questions you may wish to ask today but most probably will not be allowed to ask,” the Jamé article claimed the BPP "will be poorer by Rs 1,00,000 (as the) money earmarked for the poor has been spent by the present trustees… to try and blow their (own) trumpets.”

"There will be questions and answers, unlike what the Jamé claims,” retorted Mehta. "Hours and hours have been wasted in court cases due to five or six goons. I will call them goons.” Referring to the BPP’s accounts, the chairman noted as against an income of Rs 10.5 crores the BPP’s expenditure was Rs 13.20 crores, creating a deficit of Rs 2.7 crores. The BPP has to dip into its corpus to make good the amount. The total deficit over the last three to four years is 16 crore rupees, revealed Mehta.

"Ladies and gentlemen this is what the AZA (Alert Zoroastrians Association) has done to the Bombay Parsi Punchayet and the community,” lamented Mehta. Cries of "shame, shame” rent the air. Mehta blamed the loss of revenue on the stay petitioned by supporters of AZA leaders Kersi Randeria, Percy Patel and Zeree Jehangirji in the Charity Commissioner’s (CC) office against any alienation of BPP property. The stay was vacated by a divisional bench of the Bombay High Court on October 15, 2009. While rattling off figures, Mehta made reference to a legal expenditure of 48 lakh rupees spent till March 2009 which he claimed was utilized in fighting the AZA legal battles.

The amount of doles handed out by the BPP have been "doubled,” informed Mehta and incentives of Rs 1,000 per month for a second child (born on and after April 1, 2009 till 18 years of age) introduced. Similarly, a third child born to couples on or after April 1, 2009 receives Rs 3,000 a month till he/she attains 18 years of age.

Ahmedabad business magnate Areez Khambatta had launched a Poverty Amelioration Scheme for disadvantaged Parsis/Iranis in areas of the country where no anjuman or trust may have the resources to help out, Mehta noted.

A new agreement with the BPP employees’ union has resulted in salary costs shooting up from Rs 2.70 crores to five crore rupees. The cost of maintaining Doongerwadi was stated to be Rs 1.40 crores. Mehta informed the gathering that the statement of accounts would be published in the next BPP Review. He also voiced his optimism that the magazine would soon be published every month with the assistance of consulting editor Shernaaz Engineer. The journal was formerly a quarterly.

The BPP’s Godavra Agiary located in the Fort area will receive a facelift thanks to BPP trustee Jimmy Mistry who had earlier renovated the Rustom Faramna Agiary in Dadar at his own expense. Ex-hostelites of the Gamadia Colony Boys’ Hostel had sent in donations for the renovation and repairs of the building, informed Mehta.

Regarding the formation of a new youth wing named Zoroastrian Youth for the Next Generation (ZYNG — pronounced zing), Mehta said "we have left it completely to the youth wing” to set up the organization. A budget of 10 lakh rupees has been allocated by the BPP for the new body. A similar attempt a few years earlier had fizzled out after a BPP sponsored group called Young Dimensions hosted a rain dance party costing eight lakh rupees, related Mehta.

ZYNG set up a table for the youth — those between 15 and 40 — to register at the Dadar venue. A humbandagi on October 27, 2009 at the Bhikha Behram Well compound was organized at 5.30 p.m. by ZYNG for all community members, the association’s leader Hoshaang Gotla informed Parsiana. The prayer meeting is scheduled to be held once a month on every Avan roz.

Referring to the criticism that the ZYNG board comprised offspring of three of the trustees, Mehta queried, "Should they be banned because they are the trustees’ children?”

Mehta reiterated his plans for constructing 2,215 flats at a cost of Rs 450 crores. "With our present corpus of Rs 100 crores we cannot afford to build” the flats, he explained. "We will have to resort to ‘cross subsidy,’ building 758 flats on ownership basis and 1,457 on rent. He mentioned that a housing meet was hosted by BPP trustee Jimmy Mistry on July 16 this year at Taj Mahal Palace and Tower at which prominent community builders, developers and architects participated. Mistry was scheduled to address the gathering on the subject but due to paucity of microphone time, refrained from doing so. The question-answer session suffered a similar fate.

Mehta explained that an election pledge to convert leave and license agreements into tenancies had been aborted as this transfer may "jeopardize the Parsis-only covenant” that existed in the BPP housing colonies. Where Parsis/Iranis residing in BPP flats have married out of the community the trust had lost cases for eviction initiated against them in the various courts. But as regards leave and license, "We have won all of them,” trumpeted Mehta.

He assured the gathering that the leave and license agreement under which the landlord can refuse to renew a lease and thereby oust the occupants has not been used "to evict anyone.” There has been no "unnecessary victimization.” The trustees were all reasonable and fair-minded people, he assured the assembled crowd, estimated at around 3,000 by the BPP chief executive Mehli Colah.

Noting that the Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India (FPZAI) held a meeting this September after a three-year gap, Mehta claimed the new office bearers "were democratically elected for the first time.”

A legal notice has been served on the BPP by former BPP trustee Jamsheed Kanga and Tata director Homi Khusro­khan threatening to "take you to court” if the ban is not revoked on two priests from performing ceremonies at Doonger­wadi, the Jokhi Agiary at Godrej Baug and the Godavra Agiary. The BPP had passed a resolution on June 9, 2009 stating that as Ervads Framroze Mirza and Khushroo Madon were performing ceremonies for those opting for alternative means of disposal and navjotes of non-Parsis, they should be barred from praying at the religious institutions controlled by the apex trust.

Noting that five high priests had endorsed their decision, Mehta told the appreciative audience the trustees were "going to uphold traditional values.” The BPP’s lawyers are expected to send a reply to the duo.

He informed the crowd that BPP trustee Khojeste Mistree has been invited to join the Consultative Group on the Empowerment of Minorities.

"Humble pie”

The AZA claimed in the Jamé they had won the Bombay High Court case regarding the allotment of flats to 104 shortlisted applicants and the sale of ownership flats at Panthaky Baug in the western suburb of Andheri, alleged Mehta. "Everything they have stated supports our case completely,” he countered. Referring to an article titled "Eating humble pie, Mr Mehta,” written by the Jamé’s chief executive officer Rustom Hormazdiyar, Mehta retorted, "We’ll see who eats humble pie.”

The article referred to the BPP’s withdrawal of a proposal submitted to the CC regarding the exchange with a builder of a road facing plot in Panthaky Baug with a landlocked one. Referring to those who objected to the exchange Hormaz­diyar had written, "There are a few public-spirited individuals who will see to it that the community assets are not alienated to outsiders with the criminal assist of a handful of vested interests.”

Stating that Hormazdiyar must be around 80 to 85 years in age and "senile,” Mehta alleged the valuation of the plot to show a loss to the BPP exchequer pertained to "another plot.” The Floor Space Index in that plot was higher than the one offered in exchange. He termed the complainant Homi Dalal "a notorious character of Cama Park” in Andheri. He termed the allegation that the BPP withdraw its proposal because of Dalal’s complaint "completely bogus.” The reversal was because the original application was not specific enough and the BPP was going to resubmit the proposal after modifications, he stated.

"All Andheri is with you,” shouted a Mehta supporter.

Referring to the orthodox victory in the October 2008 elections Mehta stated "the community gave a slap to the Jam-e-Jamshed and the AZA who proposed a slate of eminent candidates.”

Regarding the CC’s order for a 10-year audit of the BPP’s accounts at a cost of Rs 1.20 crores and AZA’s Patel filing a contempt petition because the trustees approached the state ministry of social justice and empowerment for redress, Mehta asked, "Have we committed a crime by going to the Charity Commis­sioner’s boss?” The BPP’s critics had filed three cases in the CC’s office over the last 15 to 20 days, he alleged. There were four cases pending for removal of the trustees under section 41D of the Bombay Public Trusts Act. These four were filed by Cyrus Merchant, Firoze Kotwal, Jamshed Irani and the AZA leaders.

He cautioned the gathering about "AZA’s secret agenda. Be vigilant.” People were eyeing the community’s property. He alleged the Jamé was controlled by chartered accountant Yezdi Bhagwagar who was in partnership with architect Noshir Talati, Govani builders and other developers. (Bhagwagar is the Weekly’s auditor, not a shareholder or director. He is reportedly not a partner with Talati or Govani. Aside from the Shahnazeen development in Khareghat Colony, Talati has reportedly not taken over or developed any Parsi public trust property.) The Batliwala Agiary lands have been sold to Govani, Mehta alleged. "No public advertisements (were published). No one knew about it. Bhagwagar is a personal friend of the Charity Commissioner M. K. Chure.” When contacted for his response to the allegations, Bhagwagar said he did not wish to enter into a public debate on the charges.

As Bhagwagar is not a trustee of the Agiary, Parsiana spoke to chartered accountant and WAPIZ (World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis) founder trustee Hoshang Wania, the fire temple’s managing trustee. Wania explained the deal with the builders entered into 10 years ago with the CC’s consent was in limbo. Part of the Agiary property is encroached upon by squatters and "we don’t have even one square foot in our possession.” As of now the status quo continues. He dismissed the salacious remarks made at the Dadar meet as "gaandoo géhloo bolya karéch (they speak rubbish)” even though the situation has been explained to Mehta and others several times.

The old hunnarshala building in Gamadia Colony "was sold without a public auction at a ridiculous price” courtesy Bhagwagar (the notice, we are informed, was discretionary in the case and the CC’s sanction was obtained. The deal is said to have taken place 10 years ago.) Another building meant for Parsis was also sold to Govani who in turn sold it to the Birlas for an International Baccalaureate school. The institution is "functioning in the center of Gamadia Colony disturbing the peace” of the tenants, said Mehta.

He alleged the M. F. Cama Athornan Mad­ressa property was to be sold to a non-Parsi but Jimmy Mistry "fought and fought” to save it (there was reportedly a proposal for setting up an International Baccalaureate school with Parsi students receiving a 95 percent discount. The four students at the madressa would be shifted to Dadar. The Cama trust incurs a reported expenditure of Rs 55 lakhs to maintain the priestly institution). "There is a concerted effort (to acquire) all our property. (Builders, the government) are after our Doongerwadi lands,” he claimed.

He noted a building next to the Kappawala Agiary at Tardeo was to be sold "but the redevelopment plan was put on the backburner” thanks to the vigilance of WAPIZ, especially BPP trustee Yazdi Desai’s wife Anahita and others.

"We (have) a declining population. Deaths are four times the births. We are trying our best to see” that our young marry early. "My (eldest) son is 31 and not yet married. We are after him every day” to marry, said Mehta noting it was a difficult proposition to convince the youth.

As the evening compere Binaifer Sahukar observed, "If you think the first 365 days was a smooth ride think again...it’s been a roller- coaster ride (but) we all landed safely.”

"Taliban chhaiyé”

The 1888 trust deed of the BPP was prepared for Doongerwadi and "not for anything else,” stated Khojeste Mistree. Referring to encroachments, high-rise buildings overlooking the dakhmas, water supply for the vegetation, Mistree likened Doongerwadi to "an old lady who constantly requires looking after.”

The Allbless Bungli is being totally renovated, courtesy the Lentin family, a special chimney to eject the smoke has been designed and installed in the Bungli by Jimmy Mistry, electricals and cable fittings are being improved, repairs to all the toilets and bathrooms are being funded by legal tax authority and former BPP trustee Homi Ranina’s trust, a 60-foot screen will be constructed to shield the Bisney dakhma from residents of the 24th floor of a nearby high-rise, the union leader of the Doongerwadi employees has agreed that the corpse bearers should refrain from begging and the nassessalars have agreed to learn prayers to be recited during the funeral ceremonies, narrated Mistree.

Referring to the move to reintroduce vultures to Doongerwadi, Mistree stated, "we have enough vultures in Gujarat and Rajasthan. We are not going to breed vultures at Doongerwadi.” He was sanguine about obtaining all the required permissions to relocate the vultures across state boundaries.

Rubbishing a Jamé report of that day titled, "Vultures at Doongerwadi — A pipe dream,” Mistree claimed "the dream will become a reality.” He pooh-poohed the threat to the lives of the vultures as a result of consuming the drug diclofenac from Parsi/Irani corpses claiming "the human consumption of diclofenac is very little.” He suggested blood tests could be taken of the corpses to ascertain the amount of the drug in the body before consigning the remains to the dakhma.

The Jamé report referred to an article in the Hindustan Times (HT) of August 17, 2009 titled: "City will be home to more vultures soon. Parsis and BNHS (Bombay Natural History Society) to start a breeding center for the endangered species” and correspondence between concerned individuals. The HT article stated, "Alarmed by the drop in the number of vultures in the city, the Parsi community and the BNHS have joined hands to start a vulture breeding center at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park at Borivli.

"Due to the decline in the vulture population, the decomposition process has become slower,” said Mistree.

"The first in the state, the center will take a year to set up once government permissions are in place. The project is expected to cost about two crore rupees.”

The day the HT report appeared, the BNHS director Asad Rahmani wrote to Mistree: "I hope you will remember that we had detailed discussion on this issue with you and your colleagues and we had specifically said that unless members of your community stop using diclofenac, it will not be advisable to use the vultures for disposing of the bodies because they will die of kidney failure, as happens when they feed on livestock carcasses injected with veterinary diclofenac.

"As this assurance was not given to us we had withdrawn our proposal. Therefore, to say that BNHS and Parsis will start a breeding center for vultures is not correct…

"Looking at the situation of widespread use of human diclofenac as a pain killer by your community, we are not interested to start any vulture conservation breeding center in Mumbai.”

Ramani had written earlier to then BPP chairman Minoo Shroff in July 2007 that the BNHS executive committee had discussed the BPP proposal "at length” during their meeting on June 9, 2007 and had "considered the views and decided to close the chapter.”

On October 16, 2009 environmentalist Rishad Naoroji wrote to the BPP board of trustees "in reference to the frequent dispatches appearing in newspapers written by Mr Khojeste Mistree in regard to the so-called ongoing vulture breeding project at Doongerwadi. Over the years I have, including with the previous board of trustees, emphasized that this is not only totally unviable, but would also put vultures at great risk. This is because diclofenac is found as a component in at least 250 medical preparations under different brand names for human medication. These articles are extremely misleading to the general Parsi public... Please ensure these misleading reports do not occur in future.”

The Jamé commented, "for all practical purposes, the vulture conservation project is as dead as the dodo, but our trustee saheb Khojeste Mistree does not see that as a reason to call a halt. We wonder where all the tall promises made at election time of transparency and accountability have vanished.”

Mistree countered at the gathering that Naoroji "is a photographer, not a scientist.” People are not "stupid to be taken in by the Jamé... The Jam-e-Jamshed is stupid.”

Referring to the two "renegade” priests, Mirza and Madon, Mistree said "aapré vindictive nathi (we are not vindictive). We are willing to take them back” if they mend their ways. As regards prayers for those opting for cremation or burial to be said at Doonger­wadi, Mistree declared, "Not over our dead bodies will we permit that to happen.” (Applause.)

Responding to the Parsi media likening the ban on the two priests to "Talibanization,” Mistree said if "aapré Taliban chhaiyé (we are Taliban) who has voted for us? If we are Taliban then all of you are as well.”

Blasting the Parsi media — The Bombay Samachar, Jamé and Parsiana — for "not presenting the truth” Mistree referred to the press coverage given to the FPZAI where he alleged nothing positive was stated about the September 2009 meet.

"The editorial content is a load of dog’s wallop, fit only for the dustbin,” he claimed.

Speaking without a microphone Mistree alleged the time constraint for using the instrument was a result of "badmaashee (villainy) been done by people here in Dadar.” (Cries of "shame, shame.”)

Regarding the Bombay High Court judgment on the allocation of flats and sale of Panthaky Baug flats, Mistree termed it "a miracle.” The previous bench kept giving adjournments and/or asking for more information/details. But the new bench heard the matter in one sitting and delivered their judgment. He stated that two hours after the judgment was delivered the bench was changed. He saw the "hand of God” moving to favor the trustees.

Countering the AZA claim that they had not filed appeals in the High Court but rather the BPP had and hence the onus for the costly legal fees vested with the trustees, Mistree retorted, "You start the case” in the CC’s office where the BPP is not successful. "Obviously we have to go to the High Court.” He termed the CC’s department "a questionable office.”

"Despite all the badmaashee I can stand up here with my board (of trustees) and say yes we can” function for the betterment of the community. (Cries of "We are with you,” "the Jamé does not publish our letters” "ban,” "burn” and "hang” Jamé were chanted.)

"The voice of sabotage”

Dadar resident Dr Rustum Soonawalla appeared on the stage unannounced and stated that the Parsee Gymkhana "does not fall in the silence zone.” The meet’s organizers were "eligible” and had "a legal right to get permission to use the loudspeaker till 10 p.m… This is the voice of sabotage. The voice of honesty, integrity sanity and humanity cannot be scuttled.”

Jimmy Mistry: "Let the voice of the Parsis be heard.”

From various sources Parsiana spoke to, it appears the denial of permission to use the mike arose from some bureaucratic wrangles in the Gymkhana management rather than pressure from the trustees’ opponents. The Jamé of November 1, 2009 in an article headlined "BPP trustees goof up” states, "It’s a shame that the ‘Dynamic team of BPP trustees’ could not handle or manage elementary logistics at the Dadar Parsee Gymkhana. If they cannot manage something as elementary as this, we wonder how they must be managing the vast funds and estates under their control!

"Initially, the trustees put the entire blame on the doorstep of Mehernosh Fitter, a social worker whose rivalry with the present trustees of Dadar Parsi Gymkhana is well-known in the Dadar circle. But, towards the end of the meeting, the trustees realized that it would do their cause a lot of good if they could blame AZA instead of Fitter. Unfortunately, before this shifting of blame could take place, Yazdi Desai, known for using offensive and unparliamentary language, called up Fitter and using the most offensive and foul words threatened him with dire consequences.

"Not one to be cowed down by such threats, Fitter took a serious view of this threat and filed a complaint with the police.”

The WAPIZ Page in The Free Press Journal of November 6, 2009 inquired, "Did AZA’s Kersi Randeria and Percy Patel with the help of their new puppet Mehernosh Fitter try to sabotage the BPP function at Dadar Gymkhana?” They listed several "facts” and "questions” and concluded by asking "can the dumb team Jamé answer these questions?”

As regards Desai "using foul language,” while conversing with Fitter, WAPIZ asked, "Does Fitter understand any ‘other’ language?”

Offering a vote of thanks BPP trustee Arnavaz Mistry noted that "BPP funds are not used for tonight’s dinner.” BPP trustee Noshir Dadrawala absented himself from the function. In a text message to Parsiana he stated, "I will give my own individual report to the community in the Parsi Press and also declare my assets — whatever they may be.

"If I had been on stage and the chairman bad mouthed Kersi (Randeria) I would have responded in public to everyone’s embarrassment. I thought it better to stay away from provocation.”