BPP’s 16 interveners

Sixteen community activists have been joined as interveners on the side of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) in the case initiated by former BPP trustee Jamsheed Kanga and Tata director Homi Khusrokhan regarding the two "renegade” priests.

The case which is before the divisional bench of Dr Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud and Anoop V. Mohta was due for hearing on December 8 and then 13. The next date has still to be fixed.

The interveners in their applications state they support the resolution passed by the BPP banning Ervads Khushroo Madon and Framroze Mirza from praying at the BPP managed Doongerwadi and the Godavra and Jokhi agiaries. They also agree with the letters of the high priests stating that the two mobeds have been defrocked and that permitting them to perform rituals would "hurt the long established religious sentiments of a majority of Parsi Irani Zoroastrians.” They alleged that the actions of the renegade priests will dilute the Zoroastrian religion to the point of extinction. They have also opposed the attempted initiation of a Russian Zoroastrian into the priesthood.

The 16 claimed the trustees of the BPP are enjoined by the trust deed of 1884 to preserve and protect the sacred precincts of the Doongerwadi complex and to ensure that these are not misused by defrocked priests for rites and ceremonies that are in violation of tenets of the religion, traditions, customs and usages. It was the intention of the settlers that these premises be used for propagating the religion and not desecrating it.

For the above reasons the parties have requested the Bombay High Court that they be allowed to join as interveners. The 16 are former BPP trustee and legal tax expert Homi Ranina, former BPP chairman and senior partner of Mulla and Mulla ( the late) Eruch Desai, former BPP trustee and senior partner of Mulla and Mulla Burjor Antia, head priest of the Mevawalla Agiary and trustee of the Athornan Mandal Ervad Pervez Bajan, head priest of Dadyseth Agiary and principal of M. F. Cama Athornan Institute Ervad (Dr) Rooyintan Peshotan Peer, author and principal of the Dadar Athornan Institute Ervad (Dr) Ramiyar Karanjia, chairperson of the Mancherji Joshi Colony and managing committee member of the J. B. Vatcha High School Zareen Engineer, advocate and solicitor Sorab Parakh, decorated naval officer and businessman Commodore (retd) Medioma Bhada, businessman Meher­nosh Zaveri, employed Burzin Homi Vimadalal, businessman Behli B. Netarwalla, employed Nozer Sutaria, employed Meher Udhanwalla, employed Daulat Dundas and vice president, Kotak Securities, Karl Sahukar.

Earlier five prominent Zoroastrians had intervened on behalf of the petitioners Kanga and Khusrokhan. These were Anu Aga, Dilnavaz Variava, Dr Keki Grant, Tehmtan Andhyarujina and Dr Rustom Soonawala.