Yes, he can do it

Since the last two years many of us who voted for Dinshaw Mehta, chairman of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) have been wondering why a sure winner like him had to associate himself with the pseudo orthodox body like WAPIZ (World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zar-thoshtis). He would have won the BPP elections hands down even without WAPIZ support.

One thing is certain, he is not a bigot. He is too broad-minded to wear the ultra orthodox hat. He is a pragmatic person who had endeared himself at the very beginning of his first term for his approachability and earned respect for his vast legal and technical knowledge of housing. As things stand today he has lost a considerable support base by supporting and being supported by WAPIZ with their archaic thinking.

Almost two years of Mehta’s final tenure have been lost in pursuing non-issues like passing fatwas against the priests, the Sanjan imbroglio or the second certificate resolution for inter married Parsi women, but he can still turn the tables and posterity will look upon him as one who did very good work for the community. The best way to do this would be to end the impasse at the BPP, listen to the voice of reason, and not treat the Alert Zoroastrians Association as an enemy but as a body which in its own way wants to do good for the community just as the BPP is meant to do. The raison d’être for both bodies is the same, so why not get off the high horse and work for the greater good of the community?

Much has to be done and Mehta has the gumption to do it. Yes, he can!

DARA KHODAIJI

dara_mk@hotmail.com