BPP elections

The Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) trusteeship elections are comparatively small and candidates need not spend so lavishly. With access to the Internet, arrangements could be made for e-voting and candidates should inform eligible voters of the community of their bio data mentioning educational qualifications, their merits and experience, along with views on community matters, how they plan to solve problems and welfare schemes. This will negate the need to canvass. Only those who seek personal gains will make false promises, loud propaganda and offer gifts to lure voters. We have learnt lessons from earlier elections and we should not repeat our mistakes.
As they are assured of remaining in power for seven long years, trustees remain complacent and fail to perform. If their tenure is curtailed to three or four years, the sword of Damocles will hang over their heads, compelling them to act.
Trusteeship of an institute of such magnitude requires persons with special abilities and professional skills to handle the affairs of the various funds and properties. In addition to honesty and dedication, trustees should have the knowledge and ability to govern and manage the trust and its properties. The present board of trustees is neither capable nor qualified to handle this humongous task. Earlier the trustees who came from families of philanthropists were honest, kind and compassionate towards the weaker sections of the community. The duty of the trustees is to preserve, protect and enhance the trust money for the benefit of the community and not to squander it to settle personal scores, emptying the treasury and disgracing the community.
Religion must be kept out of the ambit of BPP. As per the High Court’s verdict the BPP trustees have no legal right to interfere in religious matters. In the name of religion, trustees have taken power into their hands to terrorize the community. We are under a leadership which is not aware of the fundamentals of religion which helps us to understand the value and purpose of our existence and binds the entire humanity in a bond of love and friendship.
In the name of religion we are compelled to leave the dead bodies of our relatives at the non-functioning dakhmas to rot and decay. Even the corpses of stray animals are taken care of by the civic bodies while we are denied our right to decent and dignified disposal. In the name of religion we are denied access to community prayer halls for the last rites of the members of our dear ones. Priests are threatened with dire consequences if they dare to defy these commands. Practicing religion the way we do has made a mockery of Zoroastrianism which is democratic and based on morality.
Unfortunately such a huge mess has been created by the present BPP trustees that honest and dedicated people of true merit and professional skills are unwilling to enter the tainted arena. It would be ideal for us to elect a team of like-minded dedicated persons who will work to preserve and protect the dignity of this prestigious institution. Let us adopt a more liberal and progressive approach, think rationally and come out of the narrow-minded conservative dungeon of orthodoxy to an open, free and liberal path of peace and freedom.
PIROJA HOMI JOKHI
piroja.jokhi@yahoo.com

The negative comments that have unfortunately preceded the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) elections are a cause for concern and introspection.
I cannot help but be reminded of my beloved grandfather, the late Sir Shapurji Billimoria who was president of the BPP from 1933 till 1958 — perhaps the longest tenure of any president.
The present trustees would do well to read an exceedingly well documented book, History of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet 1860-1960, ably researched and written by Sapur F. Desai. It will throw light on how meetings were conducted, how well they were documented and how community concerns were raised, debated and what commitment they were dealt with.
I sincerely hope and pray that in the coming elections Parsis with the same zeal, concern and, above all, integrity are selected. RODA BILLIMORIA DESAI
rodabdesai@gmail.com