Much ado about nothing

A meeting convened on September 20, 2013 at the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) boardroom attended by two high priests, four BPP trustees and around 14 mobeds at the behest of Ervad Framroze Mirza to settle scores with his rival Ervad Khushroo Madon backfired when the mobeds present accused him of wasting their time.
Mirza’s grievance was reportedly that other mobeds who were performing funerary ceremonies of Parsis opting for cremation were not being penalized by the BPP in the manner that Mirza and Madon were. The duo had been barred by the trustees of the BPP from performing any religious ceremonies at Doongerwadi, the Godavara Agiary and the S. F. Jokhi Agiary, all three managed by the apex trust.

Ervad Framroze Mirza: settling scores?

Since Madon’s son Fali took over the panthakyship of the Jeejeebhoy Dadabhoy Agiary, Mirza alleged that other mobeds were performing religious ceremonies at the Colaba fire temple along with Khushroo Madon. He reportedly visited the fire temple to ascertain who all were praying. According to the high priests’ diktat other priests should not perform ceremonies sitting on the same mat with either Madon or Mirza, as the two have been ostracized by the high priests.
Dispelling rumors that some of the mobeds present had been threatened with the stoppage of Rs 10,000 a month subsidy from the BPP, under the Mobed Amelioration scheme, both BPP chairman Dinshaw Mehta and BPP trustee Muncherji Cama stated nothing of the sort had been said. Mehta revealed the discussion was largely between the mobeds and the two high priests present, Dastur (Dr) Peshotan Mirza and Dastur Khurshed Dastoor.
Two of the mobeds present at the meeting stated the high priests said there is no objection to performing the boi ceremony at the Jeejeebhoy Agiary as this amounted to doing the atash’s séva (fire’s service) but they should not sit with Khushroo Madon for any ceremonies.
Ervad Pervez Bajan who was present for the meeting also confirmed that no threats had been issued to the mobeds. He noted some of the priests were slated to receive the amount in the later phases of the subsidy program so their stipend had not yet started.
Cama also dismissed any allegations of the BPP trustees’ involvement in the matter. As Framroze Mirza had complained to the BPP, the trustees convened the meeting so the high priests and Framroze Mirza could sort out the issue. The high priests did the questioning, said Cama. (Dastoor also affirmed no decisions were taken at the meeting and the issue was basically an internal one between the mobeds, "Andar andar mobed nu problem.”)
Mobeds present for the meeting were annoyed with Framroze Mirza for having instigated the meeting that was held at 4 p.m., a time when funerary ceremonies are normally performed at "Doonger.”
When Parsiana contacted Framroze Mirza to ascertain his point of view he questioned the reporter as to who had passed on the information that he had instigated the meeting. When told that sources could not be disclosed as per the policy of the magazine, he replied, "then I can’t give any answers… no comment.”