While Piroja Jokhi seems to have dwelt on the cost of litigation ("Funding the fight,” Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, September 7, 2017) , I would like to confine myself to the matter of intervention by the Federation of the Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India that considers itself the "defender of the faith” in the Calcutta fire temple matter.
The Originating Summons filed by the two Parsi ladies in the High Court of Calcutta seeks the Court’s interpretation on the trust deed of the local agiary. So it would be hypothetical to make the community believe that the outcome of this case would have implications all over India. The jurisdiction of the Calcutta High Court is restricted to the state of West Bengal and the union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Those interested in intervening in this matter should not underestimate the intelligence of average Parsis.
It would be pertinent to ascertain if the verdict of the High Court of Gujarat in the matter of Goolrookh Gupta is being observed in other states. For that matter, are Parsi women who have married out of the faith being stopped and prevented from entering fire temples (other than Valsad Agiary) in the state of Gujarat itself? It would be a Pyrrhic victory for the Federation even if it were to succeed in getting a verdict barring entry of children of intermarried Zoroastrian women of Calcutta.
Priests go out of their way to perform prayers for many Parsi women who have married out of the community. Then why stir up this hornet’s nest and that too by diversion of charity funds viz proceeds from the contemplated sale of Dharwar aramgah land? HOMI DALAL
homeedalal@gmail.com
The editors reply:
Parsiana sought a clarification from noted lawyer Berjis Desai who stated the Calcutta High Court "ruling will apply only in the state but will have great persuasive value elsewhere.”