SHERNAAZ ENGINEER's blog on the Parsi community

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Why I’m writing Parsi-Link


If you are a Parsi, you are probably aware that the community, in the throes of election politics, is in turmoil. Much of what is appearing in print right now is motivated, vitiated with personal vendetta and invariably paid for by one or another organisation, or individual, vying for Trusteeship.

It has come to such a pass that there is virtually no freedom of the press within the community, no independent voice, no democratic dialogue that is the very basis of informed and expedient opinion-making.

Cutting loose from the clutter of name-calling, BPP bashing, attacking individuals and playing the partisan game, Parsi-Link is a platform that offers a level playing field, as there is no official/unofficial agenda and no affiliation whatsoever with any of the contesting groups or individuals.

While it’s inevitable that opinions will be expressed, frankly and freely, and may or may not find favour depending upon the persuasion of the person perusing this page, this is not a commercial venture and nothing that appears here, not a word, will have been paid for by any group or individual directly or indirectly connected with the elections. It becomes necessary to state this loud and clear as extremely partisan posturing is being passed for editorial comment in recent times.

Readers are more than welcome to share their points of view, since we believe that together we can come to a better understanding of what best serves our interests – and decide upon the people who will represent us in the Punchayet effectively to administer this.

We need to rationalise without rancour, explore with exploding and, finally, shortlist without short changing the community and its future generations. By judiciously bestowing the benefit of benevolent and diligent Trusteeship upon the apex organisation, we will fulfil our tryst with destiny.

This is a unique opportunity for us, many of us first-time voters under the Universal Adult Franchise scheme, to choose all seven Trustees simultaneously. Let us not waste a single vote.

So, who’s on your wish list? Do write in with your comments and tell me what you think of the current pre-election imbroglio, the candidates, and the key issues we need to be focusing upon. This is the time to get together purposefully and do our bit to elect the right people to lead us.

5 comments:

rustom said...

It seems history is repeating itself. The current happeinings resemble the break up of Persia and creation of Armenia as the 1st christian nation.The politics of those time after the sasanians rebuilt the Zoroastrian spirit.
The sasanians resemble our forfathers who thru time and torture thwarted efforts of those who wanted to christianise Persia after the fall of rome and efforts by others to delink Zoroastrianism from Persia. Our direct forfathers fought and suceeded again thru time and torture to rekindle the zoroastrian flame in India after suffering from a hlocaust back home.
The ones in today's time who think arbitary change is good and arbitaraly good resemble those who revolted against their own during the sasanid period, to suit their own agenda.To change zoroastrianism to suit personal tastes and make it a personal workshop seems the manthra for those who after enjoying the spirituality, goodwill, tangible and intangible assets of zoroastrianism want to change it, ironically even without studying it.
The demand from the intermarried, from those opposed to strengthening zoroastrian systems like the dokhmenishini has created chaos amongst the youth fuelled by ignorance, apathy and total negligence towards the study of the whys and hows of the faith.

rustom said...

It seems history is repeating itself. The current happeinings resemble the break up of Persia and creation of Armenia as the 1st christian nation.The politics of those time of Zoroastrian Persia collapsing after the sasanians rebuilt the Zoroastrian spirit resemble the politics ot today, i.e our forfathers came to India only with the avesta on their lips and faith in their blood , passed on the science of zoroastrianim thru the religion of maszdayasnism, and gave free so we carry on the flame only to be riddiculed from within and cries of change even without studying the subject.
The sasanians resemble our forfathers who thru time and torture thwarted efforts of those who wanted to christianise Persia after the fall of rome and efforts by others to delink Zoroastrianism from Persia[islamise persia). Our direct forfathers fought and suceeded again thru time and torture to rekindle the zoroastrian flame in India after suffering from a hlocaust back home.
The ones in today's time who think arbitary change is necessary and arbitaraly good resemble those who revolted against their own during the sasanid period, to suit their own agenda resulting in fracturing the efforts of the parthians and sasanids.To change zoroastrianism to suit personal tastes and make it a personal workshop seems the manthra for those who after enjoying the spirituality, goodwill, tangible and intangible assets of zoroastrianism want to change it, ironically even without studying it.
The demand from the intermarried, from those opposed to strengthening zoroastrian systems like the dokhmenishini has created chaos amongst the youth fuelled by ignorance, apathy and total negligence towards the study of the whys and hows of the faith.

While survival as zoroastrians goes hand in hand with survival of zoroastrianism,and survival of zoroastrianism depends on philosophy of mazda being practised thru zoroastrian systems, some want to end those systems yet portray themselves as champions for alerting and reviving zoroastrianism!

Unknown said...

The slander and character bashing being indulged in by the Jame in support of the AFP panel has left an extremely bad taste in our mouths. The AFP panel may argue that they are not writing the articles. However, they are ALLOWING the slander to continue. This in itself speaks volumes for the ethics of the AFP. If any newspaper slandered a corporate or an individual in the normal course of the affairs, that newspaper would be asked to correct the statement with a rebuttal and a public apology and then would be sued in a court of law. This is what needs to be done to the Jame where the editor indulges in vituperative poisonous slander.
I personally do not want to vote for any one on the AFP after being bombarded every single Sunday by nasty articles on Mr. Khojeste Mistry and Wapiz and other candidates the editor seems to have a personal dislike towards. We need trustees who have integrity and ethics - what if these AFP people are elected and resort to these underhand tactics after their election. I shudder to think of the consequences.
Ketayun Bamji

Shernaaz Engineer, Mumbai, India Email: editorjamejamshed@gmail.com said...

the community is really at the crossroads and it is tragic that personal egos have pitchforked both people and publications into nasty mud-slingling. this page is meant as a platform that will encourage an exchange ideas -- but never an exchange of insults. thank you for your insightful comments.

Unknown said...

It seems Katayun does not get a free copy of Free Press Journal every Friday. An English daily from Mumbai read by different communities. It is in this paper that mudslinging and name calling started, in the name of protecting the religion.