Politics and Policy
No scope for partnership
The Ahmedabad Parsi Gymkhana has withdrawn its proposal to move to the Parsi Sanatorium grounds
"Neither happy nor unhappy,” is how Ahmedabad Parsi Panchayat (APP) president Kersasp Shethna described his emotions on the withdrawal of the proposal made by the Ahmedabad Parsi Gymkhana (APG) to shift their institution to the Parsi Sanatorium grounds. The withdrawal came four days before the June 24, special general meeting (SGM) of the APP convened to accept or reject the APG proposal and also pass the accounts for the years 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-9, 2009-10.
Shethna claimed the APG had offered "less money” and his opposition was not due to any "personal grudge.” Now they would haave to pay more wherever else they moved, he told Parsiana over the phone on June 25, 2012. He believed that "greater donations” may be received by the APP in the years to come to develop the property themselves.
When asked his reason for withdrawing the proposal, APG president Jehangir Cama replied, "Why go begging? The president was adamant not to give any land.” Three trustees had been in favor of the project (Dr Behram Anklesaria, Navroze Kanga and Farokh Kavina) while two (Shethna and Soli Unwalla) had opposed it. The matter was referred to a committee of all the trustees and members of the managing committee who, according to Cama, voted 14 to one in favor of the proposal, with Shethna opposing. In spite of withdrawing the proposal, Cama alleged that there was "tola baji (factionalism)” at the SGM. In his letter dated June 20 addressed to the trustees, Cama struck out at the APP for "the unprofessional manner in which the matter of allocation of land at the Sanatorium compound was handled. We strongly condemn the negative attitude adopted by some of the trustees especially the chairman which has stalled our request and allotment of land for the last over two to three years and which has resulted in a possibly irreparable loss to the Parsi community of Ahmedabad.
"The managing committee of APG is shocked to see the manner in which the circular for the meeting to be held on June 24, 2012 is worded and is astonished at the language used, and also the manner in which the choices are offered to the Parsi community of Ahmedabad by which it would appear that any scope of partnership between the APG and APP in the interest of the community would be totally denied…”
Shethna claimed the APG had offered "less money” and his opposition was not due to any "personal grudge.” Now they would haave to pay more wherever else they moved, he told Parsiana over the phone on June 25, 2012. He believed that "greater donations” may be received by the APP in the years to come to develop the property themselves.
When asked his reason for withdrawing the proposal, APG president Jehangir Cama replied, "Why go begging? The president was adamant not to give any land.” Three trustees had been in favor of the project (Dr Behram Anklesaria, Navroze Kanga and Farokh Kavina) while two (Shethna and Soli Unwalla) had opposed it. The matter was referred to a committee of all the trustees and members of the managing committee who, according to Cama, voted 14 to one in favor of the proposal, with Shethna opposing. In spite of withdrawing the proposal, Cama alleged that there was "tola baji (factionalism)” at the SGM. In his letter dated June 20 addressed to the trustees, Cama struck out at the APP for "the unprofessional manner in which the matter of allocation of land at the Sanatorium compound was handled. We strongly condemn the negative attitude adopted by some of the trustees especially the chairman which has stalled our request and allotment of land for the last over two to three years and which has resulted in a possibly irreparable loss to the Parsi community of Ahmedabad.
"The managing committee of APG is shocked to see the manner in which the circular for the meeting to be held on June 24, 2012 is worded and is astonished at the language used, and also the manner in which the choices are offered to the Parsi community of Ahmedabad by which it would appear that any scope of partnership between the APG and APP in the interest of the community would be totally denied…”
Left: Exterior of the Ahmedabad Parsi Gymkhana and the Parsi Sanatorium estate (right)
The APG "decided and resolved unanimously… that our following offers made to the APP be and is hereby withdrawn with immediate effect.
"The offer for unconditional donation for Rs 3 crores (in a joint meeting with the trustees of the APP this amount was modified and raised to Rs 5 crores) stands withdrawn.
"The further offer of donating Rs 1.5 crores towards the cost of providing brand new building for accommodation of the existing residents at the Sanatorium compound is also withdrawn.
"The offer made verbally at the request of the trustees of the APP for expending Rs 10 lakhs per annum towards the maintenance cost of the Sir Navroji Vakil Hall (in) the Sanatorium compound is also withdrawn.”
The resolutions drafted in Gujarati for the SGM offered two alternatives: One, that permission for the APG request for construction of their new premises on open space in the Ahmedabad Parsi Sanatorium compound owned by the APP should not be given.
The second option stated that the APP managing committee would offer as any square meters as they found appropriate, subject to clauses they deemed fit.
When asked regarding the delay of several years in the accounts being presented to the anjuman, Porus Karanjawalla, former APP trustee, and trustee of the Dhanjishaw and Manijeh Gamir Charitable Trust which had donated funds for the renovation of the Sir Navroji Vakil Hall on the Parsi Sanatorium grounds said the excuse offered was that the accounts had been delayed in the past by former boards of trustees as well.
Of the five trustees who were elected in June 2005, only two remain: Shethna and Unwalla. Kavina and Kanga both resigned on principle when their five-year term ended this June. Anklesaria died suddenly of cardiac arrest on May 30, 2012. Kanga says he will not seek re-election and Kavina’s ill health will also deter him from contesting again.
Elections are to be held in September said Shethna, noting that at the SGM some members wanted polling to be held earlier, preferably in July. But this was impractical, said Shethna. Karanjawalla who will be contesting the next election told Parsiana that it was decided to defer voting till "after the muktads (annual remembrance prayers for the dead).”
When asked if he would be contesting, Shethna replied, "Vichar nathi (I don’t think so).” But on subsequent reflection told Parsiana that if like-minded people contest, he would consider seeking reelection.
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