“No halt for Metro”

The community is greatly agitated with the verdict given by the Bombay High Court regarding the realignment of the underground Metro link ("No halt for Metro,” Events and Personalities, Parsiana, December 7, 2018). The Court’s verdict is based on concrete proof, and not on frivolous sentiments of a community.
On appeal from the community, the government took the opinion of expert engineers from the Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (former Victoria Jubilee Technical Institute, VJTI) who confirmed that there was no threat of structural damage to the holy temples due to the underground Metro link. Since long back, sewage pipes, telephone cables and water pipes, etc are running underground, even beneath the holy places of worship, and no one then raised objection about losing the sanctity of our holy fire temples. The sanctity or holiness of a place is created by the prayers of the devotees for the entire universe, devoid of malice, anger, lust and greed.
Zoroaster did not establish lavish temples or perform rituals to create sanctity, but his sermons created a magic spell that touched the hearts of his devotees, creating an atmosphere of bliss, tranquillity and happiness. If rituals can create such great power, then that power should protect our shrines from any damage.
The good of an individual or a society lies in the collective welfare of a group or the universe. We are all aware of the hazards caused to the citizens of Bombay due to traffic congestion. The Mumbai Metro will save time for the busy citizens in the commercial capital of the country.
We should avoid conflicts in the name of religion. Religion never causes conflicts. Whatever causes conflicts is not religion. PIROJA HOMI JOKHI
piroja.jokhi@yahoo.com

First and foremost get rid of racism, discrimination, bigotry, segregation as well as high-ended bullying tactics against our Zoroastrian women folk. And to say one is a Zoroastrian? That’s sheer irony as well as hypocrisy. One can always rebuild an atash behram and consecrate the holy fire. But if our community is dwindling then there will be nobody to go and worship in the fire temple.
Instead of spending money in courts use it for the community’s needy and vulnerable.
Just want to make one thing clear: I am not against anyone nor do I hate anybody.
FARIDA BAMJI
Ottawa, Canada
faridabam@gmail.com