This is an Op-Ed piece by Arzan Ghadially, a frequent contributor to Parsi Khabar.
Finally The Bombay Parsee Panchayat elections are over and time for the Trustees to get back to some more fights in the Board room and court room.
Having said that I would like to share my unsolicited thoughts – all my own and to be taken in good humor – on some of the prominent and not so prominent people / publications / groups appearing in the media during the course of elections.
Jame Jamshed
Should close shop as the publication backfired .They diversified in to Event Management / Investigative journalism / Media partners and it all bombed and the candidates lost.Their latest casualty being Mr Manke Engineer.
WAPIZ
Should dissolve WAPIZ As they are now on the board of BPP and have no one to fight with but themselves . At one time they fought with the BPP.
Mr Yezdi Desai
Not to certain …but Is he the Trustee or his wife?
AZA
Should stop thinking of themselves as lawmakers and start behaving like law abiders. They are good ………………..bullies.
Arnavaz Mistry
President of Pakistan Mr Zardari was known as Mr 10%. She is our own Ms 10000.00. That’s the vote she got by / for doing nothing and she never misses an opportunity to mention. A pendulum part II. All ready to swing back to Dinshaw Mehta and Co after cousin Manek lost.
Noshir Dadrawalla
Still a pendulum but stuck on one side currently. Time for him to now swing back like Arnavaz.
Maneck Engineer
Should go back as Vice President and try his luck after 7 years that is, if the community survives (according to him there will be no parsees left in 10 years from now)
Mrs Armaity Tirandaz
Her husband was a simple soul who didn’t spend a dime on campaigning while the wife has suddenly come in to a lot of money for campaigning and the community is clueless where it came from.( Jame Jamshed please investigate )
Khojestry Mistry
Should handle PR for the Parsee Panchayat . A smooth operator and good orator. The man had promised in Godrej Baug ,if the WAPIZ team gets elected they would declare assets. Of course they will after 7 years by which time they would have accumulate assets.
Dinshaw Mehta
I have always maintained the board needs a man amongst boys and he has filled in the gap. No one can control the flock better than him. He is the pied piper.
Urvax Dhanda
Should concentrate on his construction business, that is if there is one. Wonder why he doesn’t live in one of his own building instead of living off the Trust.
Tehmtan Dumasia
The self acclaimed Businessman should go back to sign board painting and keep away from common men as they showed him the boot not once but twice. A classics case that bull shitting people with lies does not work.
Finally
All the Trustees of the BPP Board
Please furnish your assets to the community. We have a right to know the net worth of each Trustee ……………… now …………………….. And what they will be worth 7 years from now.
At last, with Parsi Khabar we can now look forward to a balanced and unbiased view from our community members and let Jame die its own death.
At last, with Parsi Khabar we can now look forward to a balanced and unbiased view from our community members and let Jame die its own death.
That Jame has not been a professionally managed balanced news paper is not new. It is controlled by vested interests.By refraining from republishing their own write up on the elected Trustee taking her sister (married to a non Zoroastrian) to a Fire Temple some years back, it has inadvertently or otherwise supressed material information being refreshed in minds of voters in the name of “Clean Campaign”?. Let Wapiz take over Jame so that at least the community will be spared of embarassment of ridiculous and half truths being read by members of sister Communities in FPJ and making fun of our community That no body will subscribe to Jame if taken over by WAPIZ is another issue since as it is FPJ is distributed free and after cursory glance goes to raddiwalla.As for Jame in present state,it is shared by friends/neighbours etc and all readers are no subscribers.As for Parsiana, its drawback is that it is published only in English.
Lastly, how many Parsees are Net savvy to read Parsi Khabar?
That Jame has not been a professionally managed balanced news paper is not new. It is controlled by vested interests.By refraining from republishing their own write up on the elected Trustee taking her sister (married to a non Zoroastrian) to a Fire Temple some years back, it has inadvertently or otherwise supressed material information being refreshed in minds of voters in the name of “Clean Campaign”?. Let Wapiz take over Jame so that at least the community will be spared of embarassment of ridiculous and half truths being read by members of sister Communities in FPJ and making fun of our community That no body will subscribe to Jame if taken over by WAPIZ is another issue since as it is FPJ is distributed free and after cursory glance goes to raddiwalla.As for Jame in present state,it is shared by friends/neighbours etc and all readers are no subscribers.As for Parsiana, its drawback is that it is published only in English.
Lastly, how many Parsees are Net savvy to read Parsi Khabar?
How about these for some more smiles?…….
Dinshaw Mehta – The new DON (dawn)of BPP Chairmanship: DinshawBHAI!
Khojeste Mistree – The Great Pretender.
Jimmy Mistry – Johnny come lately.
Yezdi Desai – The Yes-Man Signatory.
Noshir Dadrawalla – The lone righteous crusader. Way to go. More power to him.
Arnavaz Mistry – Florence Nightingdale. She shouldnt get lost in the dark BPP woods.
Armaity Tirandaz – The mother of all Holy Cows.
How about these for some more smiles?…….
Dinshaw Mehta – The new DON (dawn)of BPP Chairmanship: DinshawBHAI!
Khojeste Mistree – The Great Pretender.
Jimmy Mistry – Johnny come lately.
Yezdi Desai – The Yes-Man Signatory.
Noshir Dadrawalla – The lone righteous crusader. Way to go. More power to him.
Arnavaz Mistry – Florence Nightingdale. She shouldnt get lost in the dark BPP woods.
Armaity Tirandaz – The mother of all Holy Cows.
Mickie,
I couldnt agree more. Nicely done!
Mickie,
I couldnt agree more. Nicely done!
Thanx Mal. With the latest induction of the Patron Guardian Of Compassion on the Board over with, will there be anything credible to look forward to!!!!!!!
After the embarrassing public spectacle by SOME of the BPP trustees on the electronic media sometime in February, the BPP had set itself up for further ridicule by listing inconsequential routine as highlighted activities in a cosmopolitan press release ad in the print media. For those not in the loop, here is a brief recap_
In the 24th anniversary issue the Afternoon Despatch & Courier of March 25, Bombay Parsee Panchayet had trumpeted its activities as if they were significant groundbreaking achievements during their 4 months in office. Clubbing them under a grandoise “Kaleidoscope Of The Multifarious Activities”(sic) undertaken by the new board, the 9 items listed in its paid ad, were a pathetic reflection on the priorities of the involved sitting trustees of the charity trust. Instead of applying their minds to the serious problems that beleaguer the BPP, some of the custodians of the humungous trust were engaged in superficial PR trivialities.
1. Although it was more a pompous celebration of their success at a bitterly fought hustings and less a thanksgiving, as a Jashan-cum-Ghambar in the name of the entire community the exercise may be overlooked. However, the only thing unique about this wingding was that where rightly it should have been a privately financed jamboree, BPP funds were utilised for the festivity of the winning faction-alliance supporters.
2. What was the big deal about announcing dates for a professed World Zoroastrian Congress to be held in 2013-2014?
3. Sweeping, persistent controversies and main issues under the carpet and making mere announcements like the government, appeared to be the mainstay of the current panel’s activities.
How does it help beneficiaries if monies meant for their utility are wasted on revamping and remodeling the BPP head office? Wasting donor funds on cosmetic frills is akin to government wasting tax-payers’ monies.
4. In stead of frittering away resources on non-essentials, and then passing the begging bowl around for contributions, the BPP should donate whatever little is affordable from within its trust assets to commemorate loss of servicemen’s lives during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. Although the same is debatable, since legitimate Parsee beneficiaries are themselves in dire need of monetary help from community funds. No one would grudge their compassionate gesture but forcing down a heavy dose of their staple stand in dialogue with their critics, by their own yardstick, all holdings of the BPP Trust are ONLY FOR PARSEE/IRANI ZOROASTRIANS use.
On an aside, seeing the astronomical expenses that four of the six sitting trustees were splurging for the election campaign of their consensus candidate in the forthcoming bye-elections to a vacant seat in April, these individuals appear flush with enough personal funds to feel need of passing the hat around for any collection spree. They could themselves make handsome donations towards the next-of-kin of deceased servicemen funds and be done with public appeals for aid.
5. Every true blue Indian with their heart and mind in the right place had condemned the reprehensible terror attack on Mumbai in November 2007. So why did the BPP make a song and dance of its patriotic solidarity as a highlighted activity?
6. Holding a solemn prayer ceremony in memory of the Parsees who lost their lives in the said carnage, was the only laudable activity under the aegis of the BPP though it was hardly something to tom-tom in a cosmopolitan press at that belated stage.
7. A verbal proclamation by one of the trustees without a blueprint for the said repairs and refurbishments or any other relevant confirmation regarding some community ex-hostelites willing to render financial resources for a BPP run dilapidated hostel, was just hot-air: until it materializes. It can hardly qualify as an activity.
8. If workable plans have indeed been drawn up for forestation of Doongerwadi lands, we will raise a toast for this commendable activity when it materializes.
9. The last entry was a crucial slip that should have been given a skip in the light of Bombay High Court directions by the Chief Justice who has curtailed any press comments in the pending matter of allocation of 104 flats in the custody of the BPP __ A very convenient oversight in failure to highlight a paramount activity close to the community’s heart.
How can intelligent Parsees look forward to the current BPP Board bettering its above dismal performance with all the tug of war on its board and personal agendas taking precedence over community good?!?!?!?
Thanx Mal. With the latest induction of the Patron Guardian Of Compassion on the Board over with, will there be anything credible to look forward to!!!!!!!
After the embarrassing public spectacle by SOME of the BPP trustees on the electronic media sometime in February, the BPP had set itself up for further ridicule by listing inconsequential routine as highlighted activities in a cosmopolitan press release ad in the print media. For those not in the loop, here is a brief recap_
In the 24th anniversary issue the Afternoon Despatch & Courier of March 25, Bombay Parsee Panchayet had trumpeted its activities as if they were significant groundbreaking achievements during their 4 months in office. Clubbing them under a grandoise “Kaleidoscope Of The Multifarious Activities”(sic) undertaken by the new board, the 9 items listed in its paid ad, were a pathetic reflection on the priorities of the involved sitting trustees of the charity trust. Instead of applying their minds to the serious problems that beleaguer the BPP, some of the custodians of the humungous trust were engaged in superficial PR trivialities.
1. Although it was more a pompous celebration of their success at a bitterly fought hustings and less a thanksgiving, as a Jashan-cum-Ghambar in the name of the entire community the exercise may be overlooked. However, the only thing unique about this wingding was that where rightly it should have been a privately financed jamboree, BPP funds were utilised for the festivity of the winning faction-alliance supporters.
2. What was the big deal about announcing dates for a professed World Zoroastrian Congress to be held in 2013-2014?
3. Sweeping, persistent controversies and main issues under the carpet and making mere announcements like the government, appeared to be the mainstay of the current panel’s activities.
How does it help beneficiaries if monies meant for their utility are wasted on revamping and remodeling the BPP head office? Wasting donor funds on cosmetic frills is akin to government wasting tax-payers’ monies.
4. In stead of frittering away resources on non-essentials, and then passing the begging bowl around for contributions, the BPP should donate whatever little is affordable from within its trust assets to commemorate loss of servicemen’s lives during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. Although the same is debatable, since legitimate Parsee beneficiaries are themselves in dire need of monetary help from community funds. No one would grudge their compassionate gesture but forcing down a heavy dose of their staple stand in dialogue with their critics, by their own yardstick, all holdings of the BPP Trust are ONLY FOR PARSEE/IRANI ZOROASTRIANS use.
On an aside, seeing the astronomical expenses that four of the six sitting trustees were splurging for the election campaign of their consensus candidate in the forthcoming bye-elections to a vacant seat in April, these individuals appear flush with enough personal funds to feel need of passing the hat around for any collection spree. They could themselves make handsome donations towards the next-of-kin of deceased servicemen funds and be done with public appeals for aid.
5. Every true blue Indian with their heart and mind in the right place had condemned the reprehensible terror attack on Mumbai in November 2007. So why did the BPP make a song and dance of its patriotic solidarity as a highlighted activity?
6. Holding a solemn prayer ceremony in memory of the Parsees who lost their lives in the said carnage, was the only laudable activity under the aegis of the BPP though it was hardly something to tom-tom in a cosmopolitan press at that belated stage.
7. A verbal proclamation by one of the trustees without a blueprint for the said repairs and refurbishments or any other relevant confirmation regarding some community ex-hostelites willing to render financial resources for a BPP run dilapidated hostel, was just hot-air: until it materializes. It can hardly qualify as an activity.
8. If workable plans have indeed been drawn up for forestation of Doongerwadi lands, we will raise a toast for this commendable activity when it materializes.
9. The last entry was a crucial slip that should have been given a skip in the light of Bombay High Court directions by the Chief Justice who has curtailed any press comments in the pending matter of allocation of 104 flats in the custody of the BPP __ A very convenient oversight in failure to highlight a paramount activity close to the community’s heart.
How can intelligent Parsees look forward to the current BPP Board bettering its above dismal performance with all the tug of war on its board and personal agendas taking precedence over community good?!?!?!?