Bigots taking over

In all these decades, the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP), like the community, maintained a low profile. Our founding fathers and benefactors opted to remain anonymous. Parsis may have been considered as ‘mad’ but we had a reputation for honesty, fairness and the spirit to blend with the locals without upsetting the existing culture and beliefs.

Suddenly, in the past few years, all that has changed. We have, within our midst, a small group of six community members who, like the Rightist political parties Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh have brought religion and rites into play. Like the radical Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, they have no agenda of value or meaning to our small community. And, like the people of India, who get carried away by fierce rhetoric, our members could not see beyond their collective long nose and realize that the bigots are being given a chance to take over and regress in an age of international progress in which our country is undoubtedly a world leader.

Bring out the vultures!

JAMSHED IRANI

iranjams@yahoo.in