Events & Personalities
FPZAI Delhi meet off
The Delhi Parsi Anjuman (DPA) has called off hosting the executive council meeting of the Federation of the Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India (FPZAI) on September 1 and 2, 2012.
According to sources, the DPA nod had been "conditional.” A letter had been sent by DPA to the FPZAI/ Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) seeking clarification on several issues to which no reply was reportedly received. Thereupon the DPA board of trustees at a meeting on June 24, 2012 unanimously decided against hosting the gathering.
Many delegates had already booked their tickets for Delhi but would now have to cancel their travel plans.
One of the factors weighing on the DPA minds was the clash in the FPZAI between the World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis (WAPIZ) supporters and the middle-of-the road to liberal anjumans. The DPA trustees wanted to keep away from such controversies.
Delhi had been denied the north zone vice presidency — which it held since the inception of the all-India body over 40 years ago — thanks to the numerical strength of WAPIZ and its affiliated anjumans. The connivance of the other BPP trustees allowed WAPIZ to dominate the proceedings and elect vice presidents of their choosing. WAPIZ has also criticized the DPA in the past for its liberal policies and renewed efforts to dislodge the Anjuman from FPZAI membership.
The DPA admits non-Parsi spouses as members and permits children of Parsi women married to non-Parsis the right of admission to the Delhi fire temple. The new DPA acting president Yezad Kapadia is a liberal as were former presidents Dadi Mistry, Lt Gen Adi Sethna, Shiavax Nargolwala, Khusro Rustamji and others before them.
The FPZAI meet had been tentatively scheduled for November in Jabalpur, a WAPIZ stronghold. But as the FPZAI constitution required a meet to be held every six months, the last one being held in February 2012, Jabalpur was requested to host the meeting earlier or to opt for the meeting in August 2013. The February 2013 meet would be held in Bombay as every alternate meet is traditionally held here. The FPZAI will now have to once again launch an initiative to find a new venue.
According to sources, the DPA nod had been "conditional.” A letter had been sent by DPA to the FPZAI/ Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) seeking clarification on several issues to which no reply was reportedly received. Thereupon the DPA board of trustees at a meeting on June 24, 2012 unanimously decided against hosting the gathering.
Many delegates had already booked their tickets for Delhi but would now have to cancel their travel plans.
One of the factors weighing on the DPA minds was the clash in the FPZAI between the World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis (WAPIZ) supporters and the middle-of-the road to liberal anjumans. The DPA trustees wanted to keep away from such controversies.
Delhi had been denied the north zone vice presidency — which it held since the inception of the all-India body over 40 years ago — thanks to the numerical strength of WAPIZ and its affiliated anjumans. The connivance of the other BPP trustees allowed WAPIZ to dominate the proceedings and elect vice presidents of their choosing. WAPIZ has also criticized the DPA in the past for its liberal policies and renewed efforts to dislodge the Anjuman from FPZAI membership.
The DPA admits non-Parsi spouses as members and permits children of Parsi women married to non-Parsis the right of admission to the Delhi fire temple. The new DPA acting president Yezad Kapadia is a liberal as were former presidents Dadi Mistry, Lt Gen Adi Sethna, Shiavax Nargolwala, Khusro Rustamji and others before them.
The FPZAI meet had been tentatively scheduled for November in Jabalpur, a WAPIZ stronghold. But as the FPZAI constitution required a meet to be held every six months, the last one being held in February 2012, Jabalpur was requested to host the meeting earlier or to opt for the meeting in August 2013. The February 2013 meet would be held in Bombay as every alternate meet is traditionally held here. The FPZAI will now have to once again launch an initiative to find a new venue.
◆ ◆ ◆
From the archive