The Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) Doongerwadi Advisory Committee has been reportedly reconstituted with all the members of the Council of High Priests included. The Committee also comprises the seven trustees of the BPP along with social workers and community stalwarts Homai Modi and Mithoo Jesia, amongst others.
BPP trustee Yazdi Desai — who arrived at the July 19, 2011 5 p.m. board meeting at 8 p.m. after the resolution was passed — suggested his and BPP trustee Khojeste Mistree’s wives, Anahita and Feroza be included on the Committee as they were acquainted with the workings of the 55-acre estate. The proposal was turned down by the board who reportedly stated they did not want to turn the Committee into a family affair.
Had the two ladies been included, the World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis (WAPIZ) would have had a majority on the Committee. High Priests Dasturs (Drs) Kaikhusroo JamaspAsa and Firoze Kotwal are close to Mistree and normally toe the WAPIZ line as do Dastur (Dr) Peshotan Mirza of Udvada and Dastur Cyrus Dastur of Surat. Dastur Khurshed Dastoor of Udvada, Dastur Kaikhusro Dastur Meherjirana of Navsari, Ervad Pervez Bajan, Ervad (Dr) Rooyintan Peer and Ervad (Dr) Ramiyar Karanjia take an independent line.
Mistree and Desai would have the likely support of BPP trustees Jimmy Mistry and possibly Armaity Tirandaz (Mistry reportedly avoided the July 19 meeting wishing to avoid a confrontation on the issue). While Tirandaz has divided loyalties between Jimmy and BPP chairman Dinshaw Mehta, she is at loggerheads with BPP trustee Arnavaz Mistry who campaigned against her candidature. Mehta, Arnavaz and newly elected BPP trustee Muncherji Cama would oppose the WAPIZ hegemony on the board as would Modi and Jesia.