I read with mystifying curiosity "The opportunist” by Berjis Desai (Parsiana, November 21, 2017) to determine the identity of the gentleman referred to.
Upon learning that the gentleman was none other than Burjorji Bharucha, I did some research and found this interesting facet that may interest Parsiana readers:
This information appeared in the book Sources of History Series Vol. III - They too fought for India’s Freedom - The Role of Minorities, edited by Asghar Ali Engineer and published by Hope India publications in 2005. In the chapter titled "Parsis and Nationalism,” Aloo J. Dastur writes: "One contribution of the Parsis to nationalism is worth recording. At the Round Table Conference (RTC) when leaders vied with one another to seek benefits and advantages for their respective religious groups and begged for reservations, the Parsis invited by the British Government, Sir Cowasji Jehangir, Sir Homi Mody… were also tempted to ask for reservations for the Parsis.
"Their attempts came to nought because Bharucha, under the banner of The Parsi Rajkiya Sabha, convened public meetings of the Parsis in several parts of Bombay and moved resolutions against reservations or any other privileges for the Parsis. He cabled these resolutions to Lord Sankey, the chairman of the RTC, Ramsay McDonald, the Prime Minister of England, Mahatma Gandhi, and the Parsis above named. Thus the move to get the British Government to grant Parsis reservations failed.
"Consequently, in the Constituent Assembly, Sir Homi Mody again raised the issue of reservations for the Parsis in the Parliament and he was opposed. The wisdom of the chairman of the Minorities Committee, Vallabhai Patel prevailed and (the proposals for) reservations for the Parsis were done away with. The advantages were waived once more by the Parsi community when the Second Parliament had three Parsi members viz. Naushir Bharucha of Bombay on a Socialist ticket, Minoo Masani from Gujarat Swatantra Party, and Homi Daji from Indore representing the Communist Party.”
Whether declining to ask for reservations for the Parsis turned out to be beneficial or not for the community, I cannot say. But it is part of history that members of the Parsi community gave India most generously in all walks of life without asking for any favors from the Government. Thereby the Parsis gained the highest respect from other Indian communities, religious or otherwise. The recent quarrels in the community and court cases do not augur well, negating the enormous goodwill generated by the efforts of respected Parsi gentlemen of yore. Perhaps they do not make men like them anymore and we are the poorer for it.
Dr ARDESHIR B. DAMANIA
California
abdamania@ucdavis.edu