When Armaity Tirandaz stepped down as chairwoman of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) the next seniormost trustee, Viraf Mehta, was unanimously named chairperson. This did not go down well with some conscientious Parsis who have questioned not only the legality, but more importantly, the morality and ethics of such a move.
As an objector, I feel it is important for these objections to be recorded for reference in future.
It is stated that "a trustee who is elected as chairman will continue as chairman till the expiry of his term, or if he vacates office earlier.” This has two possible interpretations: If he vacates the office — as a trustee — earlier, or if he vacates the office — as chairman — earlier. I believe that the first interpretation is more accurate since the term of a trustee is defined for five years, but not that of the chairman. Hence, Tirandaz can give up her post as chairwoman only if she vacates her office as a trustee. Since she has chosen to continue as a trustee, she has to continue as the chairwoman as well. If she wishes to relinquish her post, she has to cease being a trustee.
Legality apart, what about the ethics and morality of this decision? If Tirandaz is currently unwell and cannot perform her duties as chairwoman, how will she be able to perform her duties as a trustee, with or without Zoom? Can Zoom not be used for performing her duties as chairwoman as well? Assuming that she will be fit enough to return to office after a few weeks of bed-rest, can she not delegate the chairwoman’s duties to someone who can temporarily act on her behalf?
What strikes one as odd is why Tirandaz is so eager to step down as chairwoman when there seem to be no compelling (health) reasons? Why is she not making any effort to retain her position because of a temporary illness? Similar doubts have been expressed by former BPP trustee Noshir Dadrawala and community activists Dr Viraf Kapadia and Arzan Ghadially, amongst others.
Dadrawala wrote that Tirandaz could have easily continued as chairwoman until the end of her term. "The real issue is not the validity of her participation by Zoom. The real issue is if she was and is able enough to discuss and decide BPP issues over Zoom where was the need for her to resign as chairwoman? BPP trustee Xerxes Dastur has not been attending meetings due to his father and wife’s illness. Has he resigned yet? Would you recommend that he should resign?”
Ghadially mentioned that the issue is not who got the chairman’s post but "the manner in which the episode unfolded… If Armaity Tirandaz can insist on attending Zoom meetings, she could have very well attended Zoom meetings as chairwoman as she did during Covid. No trustee would have objected as her recovery was two months maximum.” Furthermore, "in the worst case could she have appointed an acting interim chairman to chair meetings till her alleged fracture healed?”
Kapadia opined that "if she can attend the meeting on Zoom as a trustee, why has she to step down as chairwoman?”
The voters’ trust has been betrayed by Tirandaz stepping down to accommodate Mehta. Many people may have voted for Tirandaz in 2022 because they were happy with her being both, a trustee and chairwoman throughout her five-year term.
Why is Mehta so eager to be part of this "sweetheart deal” to become chairman when he stands to lose voter goodwill? What is it that Mehta and Tirandaz cannot contribute to the community while holding the positions to which they were elected in 2022? Why are ethical and moral factors discarded? Why have all the BPP trustees agreed to this swap of chairpersons without registering even a token protest? Are they comfortable with this "deal” becoming a precedent for the future? T. B. ADENWALLA
tba2004@gmail.com
The editors’ note:
Parsiana forwarded Adenwalla’s email to Armaity Tirandaz and Viraf Mehta on March 11, 2024 asking them whether they wished to respond.
Both replied on March 13 with Mehta noting: "No comment from me to be published please. This is dated news. Only three or four people kept writing to each other. That’s it. The board is working unanimously and harmoniously. A humble request to the press is not to antagonize it.”
Tirandaz concurred: "I have no comment to make. As mentioned by Viraf, the board has been working harmoniously.”