The trustees tit for tat
Emails flying back and forth between the Bombay Parsi Punchayet trustees reflect their growing differences
(L-R): BPP trustees Khojeste Mistree, Dinshaw Mehta and Yazdi Desai
In the past when trustees disagreed they scribbled jottings referred to as sheras on the various files that were circulated in a black box amongst the trustees once a fortnight. In 1976 there arose a controversy over who should be thanked for persuading the then state Congress government to declare Parsi New Year a bank holiday. At that time BPP trustee B. K. Boman-Behram was at loggerheads with his onetime electoral ally Dr Nelie Noble and her well-wisher, BPP trustee Maneck Hodiwala.
Noble referred to Boman-Behram as "malicious and vindictive… illogical and irrelevant” adding "that such lapses occur in persons with senile condition of the mind which in medical parlance is known as ‘cerebral degeneration.’” Referring to Boman-Behram’s retort she noted, "I shall not stoop to use the language of cheap rustics and the so-called educated illiterate… I feel in politics (Boman-Behram) is just a ‘Lilliput’ posing as a giant.”
Boman Behram in turn referred to "the puerile sheras with which Ms Noble entertains us occasionally.” Regarding a rumor that Aloo Chibber, a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly tied a rakhi on chief minister (CM) S. B. Chavan’s wrist "and in return the CM acceded to her request to declare Parsi New Year day a public holiday,” Boman-Behram maintained, "I am sure that no one can believe such a story except a person at the level of intelligence of Ms Noble.”
Hodiwala for his part termed Boman-Behram "a very dominating person (who) wants to carry everything in Parsi Punchayet as per his desire and to have his hand up in every matter against the trustees and to make them his ‘yes men’ and also wants to become a ‘King maker’” (see "The Pateti Papers,” Parsiana, November 76-January 77).
With the advent of computers and emails, correspondence has now become instantaneous as can be seen from the exchange of six emails addressed by the present trustees in a span of 24-hours, and nine in 48 hours.
If not productive in their working, the trio have certainly demonstrated an ability to be prolific and sardonic correspondents.
Email from BPP trustee Yazdi Desai to co-trustees dated May 12, 2014, 12.14 p.m.
"Chairman, Dinshaw R. Mehta, advised the Board that henceforth (April 15, 2014 onwards), he also would like to sign all the cheques except statutory, utility cheques and recurring cheques. Administration asked for clear instructions.
"It was decided by the Board that henceforth three trustees amongst them mandatorily, Mehta and Desai, and trustee, Muncherji N. M. Cama, would sign the cheques…
"I wish to place on record the following discrepancies in the recording of the minutes: Mehta told the Board that henceforth he would like to sign all the cheques. There was absolutely no mention by him that he would not sign statutory, utility and recurring cheques. Therefore, the narrative is incorrectly worded. If Mehta wishes to make exceptions, he should propose a new resolution, at which time the other trustees will have a right to dissent.
"The resolution passed is clearly in conflict with the narrative as it is resolved that all the cheques (including statutory, utility and recurring cheques) would be mandatorily signed by Mehta, Desai and Cama. The use of the word ‘mandatory’ suggests that no other trustee can sign… in case one or the other or all three of them are not available.
"The resolution needs to be clear with no ambiguity and the banks must be informed accordingly. Until such time a clear resolution is passed, the present practice will continue.”
Email from Mehta to Desai dated May 12, 2014 2.21 p.m. with copies to BPP trustees and staff members Nilufer Patel, Cawas Panthaki and Pheroze (surname not mentioned)
"I beg to differ from Yazdi’s mail. No cheques except statutory payments be issued without my signature.”
Email from Desai to Nilufer, Cawas and Pheroze dated May 12, 2014, 5.17 p.m.
"Cheque signing authority cannot operate as per the whims and fancies of any trustee — either he/she signs all cheques or he signs only when required to do so. Besides, this was not mentioned in the Board meeting of 15th April 2014, and Cawas is witness to that fact.
"And there is so much confusion.
"Now in his mail sent today, Mehta speaks of only ‘statutory’ payments.
"In the narrative to the resolution, Mehta is stated to have said that he also would like to sign all the cheques except statutory, utility cheques and recurring cheques.
"In the resolution itself it is mentioned that all the cheques will be mandatorily signed by Mehta.
"So which statement is correct???
"The resolution needs to be clear with no ambiguity and the banks must be informed accordingly. Therefore, until such time a clear resolution is passed, the present practice will continue.”
Email from Mehta to BPP staff and trustees dated May 12, 2014, 5.43 p.m.
"Staff is requested to ignore Yazdi’s instructions and follow the directives of the Board resolution. Please ensure no cheque except statutory payments is released without my signature.”
Email from Desai dated May 12, 2014, 7.09 p.m.
"Yes, the staff is requested to follow the directives of the Board resolution which clearly states ‘all the cheques,’ without any exception. Mehta is requested to read the resolution carefully.
"Mehta cannot enjoy the luxury of signing only selected cheques as per his whims and fancies. He has to strictly follow the Board resolution of signing "ALL CHEQUES”……. or none at all !!!
"Staff to kindly follow the Board resolution and the banks must be informed accordingly.”
Email from BPP trustee Khojeste Mistree to all dated May 12, 2014, (time not mentioned)
"I totally concur with Desai’s emails regarding signing of BPP cheques.
"Mehta cannot in his usual arbitrary and roughshod manner, ignore BPP Board resolutions and do whatever he wants.
"If he desires to sign cheques, he must sign all the cheques and not just the ones he cherry picks to sign!
"We must remember that with the previous board, Mehta’s arbitrary and capricious behavior and intimidating style of functioning led four trustees to tender their resignation citing their inability to work with him.
"Others on the BPP Board, are also trustees as much as Mehta is and he is required to follow the wishes of the majority, with a right to dissent in the board, on issues, should he so choose. This is what democracy is all about.
"I trust better sense will one day prevail although it seems highly unlikely.”
Email from Mehta to Mistree dated May 13, 2014, 12.19 p.m.
Your ‘holier than thou’ attitude never ceases to amuse me.
"Since you want to continuously bring up old buried issues, I will remind you of the truth once and for all and let this matter rest thereafter.
"In 2007, the five (trustees) who resigned made all sorts of ludicrous allegations against me and just like you they failed to prove anything. I was exonerated before the Charity Commissioner and the community. In fact let me remind you that a few of the same trustees who resigned had stood as candidates for the 2008 elections or had actively campaigned against me under the AFP7 (Adult Franchise for Progress) banner. Yet, the community voted me in with the second highest number of votes and none of the ex-trustees were elected (only one stood for re-election – editors).
"Let me also remind you that it was only thanks to my support during the 2008 elections that you and Yazdi were even elected on this board. Stop fooling yourself into believing it was anything to do with your reputation, since if that were the case then you wouldn’t have had two WAPIZ candidates losing miserably as they did, receiving not even a fraction of the votes received by me.
"If you can’t deal with my so-called ‘intimidating style of functioning,’ you are by all means free to resign and spend your days at home or taking your tours (Mistree conducts tours to Iran — editors). My style of functioning has brought huge benefits to the corpus of the BPP, which today is being floundered on legal fees thanks to needless litigation initiated by you. I have fought on every occasion where the BPP interests are concerned, unlike you and your counterparts who thrive on the principle of ‘my enemy’s enemy is my friend’ as can be seen in the J. J. School (Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy Parsee Benevolent Institution) matter (the trust is the BPP’s landlord and has filed a suit for eviction against the BPP), the renegade priests’ case, the Parsi Lying-In Hospital case and several other matters.
"My challenge to you four is open till today to resign along with me and stand for fresh elections and let the community decide the truth. Let us see who they believe — an ‘intimidating worker’ or a ‘self-proclaimed messiah and tour operator’ amongst others.
"I agree to abide by the Board’s resolution, as is, with the right to dissent on all decisions taken by the Board which are against the interests of the Trust.”
Email from Mistree to Mehta, co-trustees and staff members dated May 13, 2014, 5.13 p.m.
"It helps, if you get your facts right. Only four and not five trustees sought to resign as they could not deal with your unprincipled and Machiavellian ways.
"Since you seem to be suffering from selective amnesia, let me remind you that in the 2008 elections it was you who approached WAPIZ and were ‘begging’ for WAPIZ support. How else could you explain the visit to the ITC Hotel, Parel at 12.45 a.m. (sic) by you and your son Hormuz, to meet the WAPIZ team who were dining there, in the run up to the elections? Or your cousin Yasmin Sanjana desperately messaging the WAPIZ team at each of our election meetings inquiring when WAPIZ would publicly announce its support to you. You got an extra 4,000 votes only because WAPIZ supported you. Otherwise today you would have to spend your days in your Foras Road foundry or probably at your Dilbur bar!
"Secondly, the AFP panel was defeated, no thanks to you. Maybe your memory is affected by your age. Let me refresh your memory, that it was only WAPIZ through the WAPIZ Page, which continued to expose the AFP Panel — e.g. Byram Jeejeebhoy being a NRI and a member of ARZ (Association for Revival of Zoroastrianism) and likewise, many other issues were taken up — and thanks to this the AFP big guns were defeated.
"After the elections you freely used the WAPIZ Page to attack your opponents. Remember once, at 10 p.m. you, Anahita (Yazdi Desai’s wife) and I, went to the Free Press Journal office to change the WAPIZ Page and insert what you had written about the 104 case (pertaining to housing allottees — editors)? I expect you to be thoroughly ungrateful and conveniently forgetful with no chance of any better sense prevailing in you.
"It is during your 19+ years’ term of office that the BPP has been brought to a low level beyond compare, with your standing and reputation being questioned by many. In fact, all the issues that you have raised in your email, be it the JJ case, the renegade priests’ issue and/or the move to settle the Parsi Lying-In Hospital matter, have all been passed by the majority in the Board, in terms of the direction that the Board has taken. I realize that you find it intolerable, that the Board members do not necessarily align their decisions with your dictatorial and high-handed ways any longer, which is why you appear to be in a state of continuous turmoil.”
Email from Dinshaw Mehta to Khojeste Mistree dated May 14, 2014, 1.00 p.m.
"Whether four or five then trustees resigned is irrelevant (the figure is four — editors). The ones who resigned according to you because of me were proved wrong by my manifest victory in spite of all the false, vile and scurrilous propaganda indulged in against me, just as being indulged in by you and Yazdi at present and I urge you to accept it gracefully. The electorate who know an honest and dedicated worker when they see one voted me in with a thumping majority. If you feel tormented by my ways you are as I said free to resign and live your days as a tour operator wherever you like.
"The visit to the ITC Hotel you claim was with my son Darayus and not Hormuz and the same was only to agree to lend a mutual helping hand to each other for the 2008 elections! You were well aware of the ex-trustees’ resignation and their reasons and yet felt compelled to join me, showing your typical double standards. It was I who ultimately parted from your company when a third WAPIZ trustee was sought to be brought into the BPP, that too who was the wife of a sitting trustee (Yazdi Desai’s wife Anahita — editors). I find it hilarious that you now imagine I got an extra 4,000 votes thanks to WAPIZ when your own WAPIZ trustees (sic) Bomi Kavina, Shirin Choksey and Anahita Desai could not come even close to the figure of 4,000 in their own respective candidatures in those elections. Also let’s not forget the thumping WAPIZ took when I supported Cama over Anahita, where did your alleged 4,000 strong voters go then that she secured just about 3,500 votes? Did they suddenly change allegiance?
"I fail to understand where you get your information from. As far as I am aware you have visited Dilbar Bar more times than I have in my life, leave alone own any part of it. Also I am very proud of my factory at Foras Road, which I can proudly say is my own ensuring I am not financially dependent on my Pakistani foreign wife in any way, nor have I trespassed into trust property like you nor filed false cases against own family members like you for recovery of some property gifted away by your own father. I can go on but the less said the better lest you want me to bring out more of your skeletons into the open and make them public information.
"Truth be told this entire dispute commenced when your egos got the better of you by insisting to support Anahita over Munchi and even now it seems her viciousness is what is motivating all of you.
"My reputation today is even stronger than what it was because the community has seen through your series of lies that stem out of political and personal vendetta. Anahita and WAPIZ’s loss has obviously been giving you all sleepless nights that you have agreed to sell your souls to all the devils at the cheapest rate. You have forgotten that these properties you want to give away belong to the BPP and the community and cannot be bartered off for favors from others against me. I will dissent on all decisions which are against the Trust and if need be go before the community/courts and disclose your actions and then let the community decide your fate.
"I can imagine the frustration and exasperation that both you and Yazdi must be going through at not disturbing even a strand of my hair in spite of all your attempts. It is simply pathetic the attempts you make to turn absolute non-issues into laughable issues to try and pin something on me. Instead of this back and forth politicking, why don’t all of us just go back to the community for a fresh mandate and let our community decide our fate rather than this game of one-upmanship where both of you strive to make brownie points issues of virtual non-issues. My repeated challenges to go for a fresh mandate seem to be shamelessly and deliberately ignored/avoided by all of you, perhaps visualizing the consequences.”