When neighbours broke open the door of Farzin Batlivala’s house and rushed the inert child to the hospital, doctors were horrified to find not a single particle of food in her body
By Manoj R Nair in the Mumbai Mirror
The death of a 7-year-old half-Parsi girl from hunger has rammed home the sharp reality of starvation at our door-step, and riven the Parsi community which her mother had been petitioning for help.
A resident of the Parsi Trust flat at Vasai, Nisha Batlivala was abandoned by her husband Bejan seven months ago. Though she worked as a part-time maid at Dhobi Talao to support her three children, Farzin, 7, Arzan, 4 and Yazdan, 1, the family lived in abject poverty. The rent on the trust flat had not been paid for a year, for months they had lived without electricity and according to neighbours, often went to bed without eating a morsel of food.
Nisha, who herself is not a Parsi, had petitioned the wealthy Bombay Parsi Punchayat Trust, for assistance but had been asked to furnish proof that her husband belonged to the community. Last week, before going for work, she locked up her three children, asking the seven-year-old Farzin who had been pulled out of school, to mind her younger siblings.
In the afternoon, unable to bear the unceasing cries of the one-year-old Yazdan, neighbours broke open the flat and found Farzin lying semi-conscious in one of the rooms. They took her to a local doctor before taking her to Vasai’s Golden Park Hospital where the child was refused admission because the neighbours did not have the money to pay for the admission. By the time Nisha returned from work in the evening, the child had been admitted to the Primary Health Centre in Navghar where she died on April 2.
Dr Anil Kumar Yadav, in charge of the primary health centre at Navghar who did the post-mortem on Farzin said he was shocked to find there wasn’t a particle of food in Farzin’s body. “The child had not eaten anything for at least two days. Even if she had been vomiting, there would have been some traces of food in the body. She had fever for one-and-a-half months and had not been treated. Though the immediate cause of death is anaemia, we have sent samples from the liver and other vital organs for a pathological test. I also suspect the child had malaria,” he said.
Dr Malcolm Pestonjee of Golden Park Hospital said that his staff reported that Farzin had been gasping for breath when she was brought in. “Unfortunately, I was not there when the child was brought to my hospital. Later I read a report in the local newspapers that said a child was killed by her mother. I was concerned about the other children and called up the police station that’s when I found out about Farzin and the police told me that the mother had not killed the child,” said Pestonjee.
Nisha Batlivala, 27, was too distraught to talk. “I’ll never leave my children alone at home again,” she kept repeating to this reporter. She revealed that she had married Bejan at the Bandra matrimonial court on January 22, 2000. She does not have a copy of the marriage certificate or any other identity papers like a ration card or her children’s birth certificates. Bejan, she said, abandoned the family in August 2008.
Out of sheer desperation, four months ago Nisha approached the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) for help. She said that she had met Dinshaw Mehta, chairman of the BPP Trust who asked her to “bring proof that the children’s father was a Parsi. He wanted to see the marriage certificate. I felt humiliated, so I did not go back,” she said.
When Dr Pestonjee saw the bereaved family at the post mortem centre, the mother and the two children were in tattered clothes. “She told me that she had approached several Parsi trusts for help. Everywhere, she was asked to bring a certificate confirming that the children’s father was Parsi. Being a Parsi, it hurts my soul that we could be so cruel,” he said.
Nisha Batlivala says she was abandoned by her husband Bejan seven months ago
Assistant police inspector Uttam Jagdale of Manickpur police station said inquiries with neighbours revealed that the family would often starve for days. Pestonjee’s Vasai Medical Trust has now supplied the family with six months’ supply of groceries. The family are still without electricity, though Dr Pestonjee has paid to get a new electric meter restored. The Trust also has paid the pending rent of Rs 5000 on the flat.
“All issues about the mother’s non-Parsi origins apart, I cannot believe such a thing has happened. How could the neighbours allow the children to starve? I am going crazy thinking about it,” he said, visibly agitated.
Niloufer Tangri who stays on the second floor of the building said that Nisha often hit her children. “We helped them with food and money whenever we could,” said Tangri, whose husband, Marzban, works in a fire temple in South Mumbai.
Nisha said that she had run away from her home in Mussorie and was no longer in touch with her family. Bejan’s family stay in Grant Road. “But my husband was estranged from his family. They did not accept our marriage so I could not have approached them for help,” she added.
Nisha works with a Irani Zoroastrian family in Dhobi Talao as a maid. She said that she was paid Rs 2000 monthly, apart from a free train pass and a meal. “I could not treat my child as I was working seven days a week. Farzin used to look after her brothers when I left for work,” she said. The Batlivalas live in a flat in a building owned by the Manijeh Pirojsha Sachinwala Trust which also runs a fire temple across the road.
Farzin’s death has become an issue at the ongoing polls to elect a trustee to the Bombay Parsi Punchayet the community’s largest representative body and charity trust. “Poverty has claimed a Parsi child even though our community trusts are flush with funds,” said Dr Viraf Kapadia, a resident of Godrej Baug, Napeansea Road.
Dinshaw Mehta, Chairman, Bombay Parsi Punchayet, said, that though Nisha had come to see him, she met another trustee Arnavaz Mistry. (Mistry was not available for comment.) However, Mehta said, “I did not meet her. We offered to put the children at Avabai Petit school. But she refused. Later, she did not come back.”
“We will send someone to check on the family. Meanwhile we have asked Bomi Sachinwala, who owns the building, to look after the family,” Mehta added. Good intentions, but comes a bit late.
Copyright 2008 Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. . All rights reserved
As a punishment, Farzin’s father should be starved to death.
For a community on the verge of extinction, we still cannot come of the high horse and help ourselves. How then will agencies such as our trusts learn to help others.
Maybe we should eat our pedigree certificates.
It is indeed sad, that we are more concerned as a community with housing and conversion issues, but have lost our humanity along the way. We should be ashamed to be called Zoroastrians (“Charity is thy name” no longer applies). We are a small community. Someone surely knows who and where Bejan Baltivala lives and works / where is parents stay. They have to live with their concience and face Ahura Mazda some day. May God have more mercy on them than they had on their grandchildren. This family may be a Parsi, but Bejan definately did not act as a Zoroastrian, to have abandoned his children like this. The onus of obtaining a marriage certificate should have been on the Parsi Panchayet. PP has the money, why don’t they employ full time impartial social workers to help the poor in our community, and guide them through the labarinth of bureaucratic nonsense needed to apply for funds. Why does every thing have to do with meeting Dinshaw Mehta /other comittee members. Should’nt there be a guideline already in place for handling these issues. And if she did not meet those guidelines, and had to meet Ms Mistry, I think in addition to wedding certificates (which we all know are sometimes difficult to obtain, and what about out of marriage Parsi children, do we also ignore them?) friends/neighbours letters and interviews with children should be alternative strategies in place. And emergency funds to handle these issues, not in a come back tomorrow way. As this case highlights, tomorrow may be too late.
The BPP has BLOOD on there hands – there should be a criminal or civil case brought against them and the husband. This is an absolute travesty…and unpardonable.
When I heard about this I felt outrageous, as a Zoroasrian we are known as people to help the needy not on the basis of their religion.
Shame to the BPP. Sharon you are right they have Blood on there hands.
May the Soul rest in peace and she is with God.
Would anyone know if the BPP has a website – I’d like to give them a piece of my mind – directly.
To see any child perish how little Farzin perished is abhorent to the sole.
Can we bring a legal case against the father for abandonment, negligence etc. I’d like someone to pay for this crime.
Apologies but this is a crime that should not go unpunished.
Also – is there anyway where people can send donations to the family? Who is looking after them now? Is Farzin’s blood going to be shed in vain. Is the BPP still waiting for a marriage certificate for one of their own employees. Surely they knew who they were. What a web of lies and money hungry, lowdown people. If they are Zoraostrian – then I am NOT.
Thank you
This is a shame to all people living in Mumbai…I feel too ashamed myself for letting starve someone as sweet as Farzin and my heart goes for her…we all need to be ashamed as one end we are eating even before we are hungry and the other end, there is no food even after someone feels the hunger…and starve to death. Something can definitely be done…community wise or society wise…if only greed can be contained…and sharing becomes a part of the social fabric…I cried my heart out for her death today and feeling relieved now…may her soul rest in peace. I love you Farzin…take care…
All my life I have felt very proud of being born a PARSI, a people who have always been at the forefront of charity and good deeds.This incident with Farzin if true should never have happened and as true ZARATHUSTI PARSIS we must ensure it never ever occurs again, please inform me soonest of any trust started to help this family.Till then I hold my community leaders responsible whoever they are for such an act of inhumanity, and now to do what is truly the essence of our beautiful religion…GOOD THOUGHTS…GOOD WORDS…and…GOOD DEEDS.
Bejan Batlivala, father of deceased Farzin, as reported in an article Jam-e weekly that he worked at Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP). Bejan initially worked at our Doongerwadi as a ‘Bungli Kamdar’, and later when I came to know him, he was working as as ‘Solar Tower’ operator at ‘Setna Dokhma’, then the only Dokhma with Four Solar concentrators. Bejan was the Best and skilled operator with tallent to carry out repairs and mainteance. He was not happy with this duty, as his earnings had reduced due to loss in earnings from ‘asodad/tips’ that he arned as as a ‘Bungli Kamdar’. Moreaover, the work was hard through the day in hot sun, the stench and the site of dcaying corpses on to whom the solar focus had to be maintained. He was then staying at Vasai in a rented place at Rs.1,000/- p.m. which he could hardly afford within his meager salary. Bejan’s plea for a place to stay in a ‘kholi/hut’ at Ambawadi land of BPP, near Doongerwadi was passed by the BPP Board, and minuted. Yet, for one reason or the other of non-availabiity, and the matter dragged on an on, without any result or hope. This would have also facillitated, him to report for work at 7:00 a.m., everyday, to posstion the Solar Discs, before the first ‘paydast’. Then, it was talked about his wife having a non-reputed back ground; and if so, it was creditable and courageous for Bejan to have married and raised a family. Bejan had a train accident and had damaged his leg, and wss absent for for some time, and later withthis hndicap he would attend to his duties by climbing on solar towers, and working in the sun. Gradually, Bejan became irregular at work in the abject stress of poverty and work conditions, and later stopped reporting for work. This was many years ago, and do not know as to how the family has survived all these years. Could Bejan be located, rehabilitated, setteled and the family re-united? This is truly a Case Study for the Community to resolve; and there would be many such Bejans’ existing, and in making. Trust the said facts, in my short association with Bejan, would give some perspective to who so ever are wanting to help this Batlvala, a Parsi family.
JUST SEE THE WEBSITE LINK FOR ARTICLE IN COMMENT.
The following comment tells everything.
Many Parsis like E P Bharucha who wrote to Jam-e-Jamshed saw the tragedy as the outcome of what he called the ‘racist’ attitude of some of his community members. He said: “Farzin’s mother had, in fact, approached the Bombay Parsi Punchayet but did not succeed in getting help because her genes were all wrong. She was not a Parsi though married to one.”
The paper said: Farzin died because her father abandoned her mother, her siblings and her. Farzin died because she had not eaten anything for two days. Farzin died because she had fever for a month-and-a-half and had not been treated. Farzin died because she was anaemic. Farzin died because she probably had malaria. But mainly Farzin died because she was a half-Parsi.
On the other hand, orthodox group World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zoroastrians that publishes a weekly newsletter that is distributed with an English daily said that the BPP should not blamed for the child’s death.
The newsletter published the trust’s view that said when the penniless mother had approached the trust for help, she was asked to bring documentary evidence that could prove her marriage to a Parsi. The newsletter said that the trustees were anguished that Nisha did not return with the documents that could have helped save her child’s life.
For many members of a community where deaths outnumber births by a ratio of six, the loss of a child was calamitous. In his weekly column in a Gujarati newspaper, solicitor Berjis Desai said: “We continue to lose our children. We lose them because we close our doors on the children of the intermarried. We lose them because we will not allow adoption. We lose them because we will not provide homes in time to those wanting to marry. We lose them because our attitudes and conduct causes our children to shun their communal identity. And now, we have lost a seven-year old child to starvation. It is obvious even to an idiot that a community that continues to lose its children, simply cannot survive.”
Well as the comments note this community is slowly decaying (won’t go more than 25,000 in 20 years) due to policy of what the orthodox parsi’s support as “Purity of Blood”.
Sorry! in context, “our Doongerwdi” implies “Parsis Doongerwadi”, nd not BPP’s. Doongerwadi
Delay by red-tape in procurement of government certificates, is familiar in our country. If within two months of demise the son of a late sitting trustee himself and a municipal corporator to boot, legally represented that he was as yet unable to produce the death certificate for removal of his father’s name as accused in family trust matters pending before the Charity Commissioner and parallel criminal cases in the magistrate’s court, then how could Nisha the non-Parsee mother of starvation tragedy victim baby Farzin be expected to produce an eight years old certificate of marriage on instant BPP demand, to prove her credentials of being legally wed to the Parsee Bejan Batlivala who had fathered her three children only to desert his impoverished family some months ago and leave her in the lurch???
Although it is perplexing why she should have been asked for proof in the first place, when it has now been revealed that the missing husband was employed by the BPP itself and had been living with his family in a charity trust building meant for Parsees in Vasai for the last so many years. In marriage or out of a live-in relationship, there is no denying the three children are born of this Parsee father. At this stage of crisis to now talk disapprovingly about Nisha’s alleged past is unprincipled. Surely an institution like BPP keeps personal records of recruited staff and their family members for on-spot reference in case of any emergency.
What is most upsetting is what horses are whispering that Bejan’s kin allegedly lives in one of the tenements allegedly belonging to the Mr. Chairman himself. Then why was little Farzin cremated under Hindu rites and not given Paidast rituals? Why so much controversy and so many denials, is beyond the community’s comprehension.
The loss of the child’s life was an outcome of collective callousness. Let us not remain passive to now see her five years old brother being plucked away from the comforting presence of his mother to be thrust in unfamiliar environs of a distant boarding school which could easily affect his non-comprehending, developing psyche. Counseling and material aid can also help Nisha overcome her insecurities/mental scarring and enable her to be a better mother to her two surviving boys. It is painfully ironic that Farzin’s tragic lot has paved the way for better living conditions for her depressed/suffering mother and famished, neglected brothers.
Through all these debates may little Farzin’s innocent soul find eternal peace in her heavenly abode.
All my life I have always been proud to be a PARSI (PERSON ALWAYS READY TO SERVE INDIA). This incident about young Farzin Batlivala has saddened me immensely.
On behalf of my Parsi/Irani Zarathusti community in India and from all over the world I offer my heartfelt, humble condolences to Nisha, Arzan and Yazdan Batlivala. It will certainly not bring back dear Farzin but we hope and pray that another such incident does not reoccur.
Eruch Surkari
Hi
what happened to Farzin’s is a horrible tragedy, but i disagree that she died because she was a half Parsi. There have been and still are many many Parsis living in a pitiful condition. Unfortunately, they have received no help from the BPP in the past & probably will not receive any in the future. It has nothing to do with them being half or full Parsis. The BPP has to follow procedures laid down, otherwise exceptions will become the rule and funds/charities made by our ancestors will become unaccountable and there will be many more tragidies waiting to happen. The BPP has always been mired in bureaucracy and indifference. We need them to follow procedures with urgency. However, Farzin’s parents’ role needs to be examined. I hope the police are investigating the case. Meanwhile, let us not use Farzin to further individual view point, be it pro conversion or anti conversion.
The blame for this sorry state of affairs rests solely on the community itself for electing persons of such calibre that within 6 months people have started questioning their coduct. It is pitful that an educated community which prides itself in cent per cent literacy, voted last Octber by applying their sentiments rather than mind. Rest is for all the members to endure what can not be cured. Now, during bye election, hardly any upright, qualified professional was willing to stake his reputation from villification campaign of self procliamed and self appointed custodians of Parsee customs and Traditions.
People deserve the government they get. In what way, Parsees are different from rural bumpkins from BIMARU states when they vote on the basis of Dinners they were served by contesting candidates? Our conduct has shown, we are not fit to elect our representatives.Face the fact starring at us.
mr. phiroz – bang on target , well election advert. can be seen at many places – 40Lacs for BPP elections????
mr. delnavaz – if mr.homi info is stated to be correct , farzin’s father earned meagre 1000 – 2000 not much for family of 3 (worst situation in bombay), as told by nisa , bejan has no contact with family ( crime for marrying non-parsi???- saying based on what have heard, read) , all not a excellent job (solar for decaying…), obviously the family was in a difficult situation , right from start.
Again , bejan left nisa with 3 small children to care few month ago , with a maid job in dhobi talao & let her children admit in avabai petit school ( small kid sending away from home fear)- its not all that easy & to top it all get a marriage certificate or any further documents.
continued from previous comment….
mr. eruch – will also wish along with you .
mr. delnavaz – are you completely against BPP members , well i doubt anybody between the 2 candidates will be good this time round
the half – parsi problem was that it added difficultly for that family , whether it be obtaining marriage certificate to PROVE PARSI or deceased father’s family dispute over marriage – the total effect led to innocent & sweet Farzin’s death
What is most upsetting is what horses are whispering that Bejan’s kin allegedly lives in one of the tenements allegedly belonging to the Mr. Chairman himself. Then why was little Farzin cremated under Hindu rites and not given Paidast rituals? Why so much controversy and so many denials, is beyond the community’s comprehension.
Mr. Mickie are you sure., do confirm
Hindu rites for little farzin , please comment more on this readers.
“Well as the comments note this community is slowly decaying (won’t go more than 25,000 in 20 years) ”
A bit harsh language in my earlier post here , as i calculate the parsi community number 1,11,000 at time of indpendence ( 1951) & now 2001 – 69700 , so if we continue reduction of 3 % per decade we get roughly 65000 by 2011 , so it means by 2030 (20 years as my comments state) – the community should be roughly round 45 – 50,000 ( remember i am taking all positive estimates into consideration.) , this is i think quite accurate thought at many places on net/ news expert statistician state 25000 in 20 – years making it a “tribe”.
if we go to add parsi women to non – parsi in list ( currently not allowed)we could have atleast additional minimum 10,000 parsis considering 20% marry outside.
earlier millenieu (1875 to 1925) couples would get married at earlier ages ( age 5 etc.) with many children but many childern would die at child birth , hence the parsi population would increase for some period (apart for some iranian Zorastrian migration ) but with increase in education , hygiene & science we have late marriages , outside community marriages etc.
The point is :- the loss of 7 – year Farzin not good for community nos. & community as a whole., and accepting intermarried parsi’s will help community survive , then become a extinct community.
this i have commented based on my views by comments from solicitor Berjis Desai ( see earlier reply)
Homi Mullan’s post is an eye opener. I hereby call upon all rational community members to publicly demand an Affidavit sworn before a Magistrate by the sitting Trustees of BPP that Solar Panels are being operated by Parsee Zoroastrian workers ONLY. They should also disclose the names of such workers and more importantly attach with the Affidavit their appointment letters/ Work Orders to the effect that they are Solar Panel Operators. I am sure,these men of straw that they are,will never furnish such an Affidavit. If Solar panels are being operated by Non Parsees who see the mortal remains of Parsees, is there any justification for denying non Parsee friends and colleagues an opportunity to pay last respects to their dear departed. Let us expose these hypocrites who blabber about preserving traditions. Let us call off their bluff once for all.
Dear Religious Freedom, Ms. Mickie Sorabjee has been commenting and contributing to the Parsee/English Press for over 25 years now, as a credible writer under her own name. Her penmanship has always been well received and/or promoted healthy discussions. She always weighs her words before penning thoughts on paper. Her guiding principle has always been her personally coined aphorism, “..and where the conscience is clear, the tongue can afford to be brutally frank.” There is nothing to confirm_ a responsible writer merely brings unbiased information available to readers’ notice, it is for any concerned parties to follow up. Thank you for iinterest taken.
DEAR MRS. MICKIE ,
Thanks for the info., i am extremely sorry if it meant to question your journalism or offended you in any other manner as it was not my intention & please continue with your frank approach , the news was not good & hence i questioned readers over this action after so much critique over BPP.
I also went a bit overboard yesterday over the dwindling numbers as i produced the stats., as i had this extinction fear , hope that serves well.
Mrs. mickie ,
Who is this NRI Dev Cyrus Colabawalla (just see newspaper).
Mrs. Mickie ,
not offending with the last question again, just want to know more.
Religious Freedom:
Pl elaborate on your sentence “Just see News paper” There is no attachment.
Kindly elaborate for benefit of all.
Many thanks.
No problem Religious Freedom, neither was I offended and neither did you have to apologise. Chill!Actually, I was surfing this site and found some of the topics worth commenting upon in the interest of the community that is in the throes of these bye-elections. Trends are definitely worrisome.
I agree with Believer In Truth but even a newsletter needs a sponsor. Some years ago PARSIDOM under the late Dara Kadva started with a bang and fizzled out with a whimper. As for FPJ, WAPIZ ads are a source of welcome revenue and why would they want to cut the goose that lays golden eggs for them? Only the press and advertisers guild can rein them in.
By the way, I read in one of the papers that Dev is only a pet name given by victim; his real name is Darayus and his family is in the Middle-East.
mickie,
thanks for info, i was actually disappointed by the parsi connection in the case ( his name & middle name made me realise but i was shocked & wanted to know more ) , never heard any parsi involved in such things ,( yes , i have heard of suicide cases & one adopted daughter killing her parents who were actually old couple) atleast i heard parsi involvement in such a henious case for the first time , hence disappointed .
i KNOW YOU KNOW THESE PROBLEMS BUT I JUST PRESENT AN OVERVIEW :-
When you look at all this it shows a worrisome trend , Ahmedabad family suicide , Innocent Farzin’s Case , & now this , the crime rate seems to be increasing in the community., and this apart from other much bigger non – crime related issues like Screwed Birth ratio , Massive Divorce ratio , much more than other communities ( i guess result of lack of men of marriage for Ladies ( 1050girls to 1000 men), Obviously 50% are going to get married outside.
And one more think , Readers , Phiroz , Mrs. Mickie , have we really mantained “Purity of Blood” as Traditionalist Claim , i mean a recent Genes Studies ( from wikipedia), see my next response as this post will be big.
I am not personally against the traditionalist but with some many problems one needs to arrive at some solutions , thats why i was a bit in support of including mixed marriage couple , i hope i am not creating any mis – understanding between anybody & my points are clear , otherwise like i see one – day somebody will look at TOWER OF SILENCE & say it is converted to a museum or historical monument for once a community stayed in India & monument is in their MEMORY.
Another thing the Orthodox state that the community has not dwindled , if a look at stats from parsi voice & indian govt. stats they should close to ( minus 18000 member minimum) pop. reduction , this i am saying after adding parsi world & indian pop. minus with the population which was in 1951 ( forget the fact the pop. should have increased from 1951 ).
Unfortunately a lot of Orthodox do still exist & still seem to have some support-base within the community ( & they state pop. not decreased & quite constant)
Phiroz , thanks Mrs. Mickie has given the answer to my earlier post.
Readers , If anybody has stat. of Community pop. being constant do put forward – i can rectify my mistakes if any, as some figures do show comm. numbers as constant but when you add say maximum figures of . 30000 diaspora with 70000 in India we get a much reduced figure & i dont see it getting any larger.
FROM WIKIPEDIA :-
Genealogical DNA tests to determine purity of lineage have brought mixed results. One study supports the Parsi contention (Nanavutty 1970, p. 13) that they have maintained their Persian roots by avoiding intermarriage with local populations. In that 2002 study of the Y-chromosome (patrilineal) DNA of the Parsis of Pakistan, it was determined that Parsis are genetically closer to Iranians than to their neighbours (Qamar et al. 2002, p. 1119). However, a 2004 study in which Parsi mitochondrial DNA (matrilineal) was compared with that of the Iranians and Gujaratis determined that Parsis are GENETICALLY closer to GUJARATHIS than to IRANIANS. Taking the 2002 study into account, the authors of the 2004 study suggested “a male-mediated migration of the ancestors of the present-day Parsi population, where they ADMIXED (INTER-RELIGIOUS MARRIAGES THERE ARE STILL MANY SUCH OCCURING – CYRUS BROACHA WITH AYESHA (I Don’t Know wether she is gujrathi) ETC.ETC.) with local females […] leading ultimately to the loss of mtDNA of Iranian origin” (Quintana-Murci 2004, p. 840)
SPEAKING SKIN – WISE :-
The 2nd – 3rd Generation – Do we look different , nope , maybe a shade bit fair.
I think only Irani’s to some extent & some recent migrants are an exception here , but i think with time it will change.
again no Racist charge no offence , just an orthodox critique.
Ms. Mickie/Religious Freedom,
Would eiother of you enlighten us on the role, if any, of one
Mr. D Colabawalla referred to by you? I have not read the News paper mentioned by you.
Well regarding Genes , i mention it as a counter – claim against Orthodox claim that Children of parsi mothers “lose their purity” as Many Children with Parsi Father & Intermarried community women ( mother to the child) have been accepted in the fold , & hence have lost their Iranian Roots.
Genealogical DNA tests to determine purity of lineage have brought mixed results. One study supports the Parsi contention (Nanavutty 1970, p. 13) that they have maintained their Persian roots by avoiding intermarriage with local populations. In that 2002 study of the Y-chromosome (patrilineal) DNA of the Parsis of Pakistan, it was determined that Parsis are genetically closer to Iranians than to their neighbours (Qamar et al. 2002, p. 1119). However, a 2004 study in which Parsi mitochondrial DNA (matrilineal) was compared with that of the Iranians and Gujaratis determined that Parsis are genetically closer to Gujaratis than to Iranians. Taking the 2002 study into account, the authors of the 2004 study suggested “a male-mediated migration of the ancestors of the present-day Parsi population, where they admixed with local females […] leading ultimately to the loss of mtDNA of Iranian origin” (Quintana-Murci 2004, p. 840)
Hope No-body is offended.