Fracas at BPP

Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) chairman Dinshaw Mehta has labelled his colleague Yazdi Desai as a chor (thief). Mehta’s colleagues have termed his khaandaan (family) as thieves.
The truth is that neither of them is a statesman with an eye on the next generation. They are all politicians with an eye on the next election.
When I was a BPP trustee and single-handedly fighting the chairman where were Desai and BPP trustee Khojeste Mistree? Both were protecting Mehta. Don’t make heroes of these two. They are worse than Mehta.
When I was fighting the chairman intellectually, Desai suggested that I should see a shrink (psychiatrist) and Mistree told me I should respect the chair. BPP trustee Jimmy Mistry said I should stop being petty; BPP trustee Arnavaz Mistry said I should make my peace with Mehta; and BPP trustee Armaity Tirandaz would just sit there silent. What changed them all? Was it my exit? They should all be booted out!
Strength is in truth. At least I am not abusing and using cuss words. This is what they are doing and the community should know and see them for what they are. NOSHIR H. DADRAWALA
www.capindia.in

In an audio recording which I received recently over the Internet titled "The Sound of the [Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP)] Meeting” two voices speaking in Gujarati were raised to fever pitch, using disgraceful language. Someone, apparently trying to pacify the quarrelers, was saying: "Yazdi, Yazdi please, please!” which failed to quiet the offenders, till at last a sane voice quietly suggested that the meeting be brought to a close, which was where the recording mercifully ended.
Having read the accusatory emails between some of the trustees, as reported in earlier issues of Parsiana, it seemed highly probable that this recording was what it purported to be, part of a recent meeting of BPP trustees. It sounded like a meeting of ruffians. Are these the people that the community has elected to replace the honored and dignified trustees of past years?
If a meeting of the apex body of the Parsi community is conducted in this manner, should not the quarreling trustees be forced to resign by their colleagues? Such conduct is an affront not only to the BPP and its board of trustees but to the community at large. All the goodwill that the community has garnered over the years would be depleted, and all the trustees would bear the blame for not having acted expeditiously to rid the board of such ruffians.
JAMSHED R. UDVADIA
Lansing, MI, USA
udvadiajr@att.net

In the piece "Students’ satyagrah” (Parsiana, August 7, 2014), I had described the protest by students of the Gamadia Hostel at Tardeo and how it ended with a boisterous meeting between the students and Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) trustees at the office of the latter. Reports concerning recent events involving both these places have appeared in the Press, but with a different perspective.
In the earlier instance, which took place just a year after India achieved independence, the brave Parsi students of poor and middle class families from mofussil areas had to resort to a Gandhian style satyagrah to protest against the high-handedness of the BPP trustees who were people of high standing. The recent row was between BPP trustees themselves.
The event has resulted in much tension in the community as trusteeship elections under the adult franchise scheme are due soon.
A wise guy of the community once told me: "BPP means Blood Pressure of Parsis.” It rises on the eve of elections.
RUSI PARDIWALA