Dear Humdin,

You must have received and read my “Statement and Vision” outlining my background and my record as a sitting Trustee. It also clarified a number of issues relating to the functioning of the BPP and my role in it. I am now forwarding some more information that I hope will enlighten you further.

I have received support from many prominent individuals attesting to my contribution, a copy of which I am enclosing. I am also attaching an interview in the Afternoon newspaper of 19th September, 2008 by Shernaaz Engineer, who is an unbiased commentator on the community’s affairs, something I, unfortunately, cannot say about the Jam-e-Jamshed or the Mumbai Samachar.

In May 2001, at the time of my re-election, my then co-Trustees had issued a statement on the housing policy of the BPP, which was published in the Jam-e-Jamshed, a copy of which is enclosed for your reference. Subsequently, on their election as Trustees, Mr. Maneck Engineer and Mr. Burjor Antia have endorsed and continued the said policy. However, over the last few years, this seems to have been forgotten and I alone am being targeted. It was largely at my instance that the occupants of our properties were allowed to benefit from the sale of their tenancy, with consequent monetary benefits to the BPP. Today, the increase in the corpus from Rs. 16 crores in 1994 to over Rs. 120 crores is largely due to this policy.

I have been the victim of a continuous malicious and slanderous campaign by the Jam-e-Jamshed as well as the Adult Franchise for Progress (AFP) group and the Alert Zoroastrian Association (AZA). In fact, they have gone to such an extent that at the Dadar AFP meeting, Mr. Kersi Randeria, leader of the AZA, threatened my youngest son. His very words were, “Tell your father not to stand for re-election and everything will be okay. Otherwise, he better watch out.” My son was terrified. Randeria also threatened my second son with physical violence in the Charity Commissioner’s office. Neither my family nor I will bow down to such threats. The Jam-e-Jamshed even refused to print my manifesto, but, by the grace of Ahura Mazda, my well-wishers have helped me spread the word.

The AFP panel has been conceived, formed and now is being spearheaded by my one-time best friend, Mr. Berjis Desai, who seeks to control the affairs of the BPP and promote his not so hidden agenda. The article published in Jam-e-Jamshed of May 2001, which I have enclosed, indicates Berjis Desai’s complete support to me. However, this has since changed. Mr. Berjis Desai is now vehemently opposing me because I am committed to our traditional Dokhmenashini system, saying that I am “an impediment to his dreams”. As a Trustee of the BPP, it is my beholden duty to uphold the Trust deed governing the Doongarwadi lands, which, according to opinions of Senior Counsel obtained by us, do not allow any other method of disposal of the dead at Doongarwadi. Mr. Berjis Desai’s avowed aim is to have a crematorium at Doongarwadi, to open up entry into our holy Agiaries to anyone and everyone, and to allow conversions of anybody into the Zoroastrian fold, and it is on these issues that he has parted ways with me. His agenda is to get the crematorium on the premises by first getting a cremate-ni-bungli, which will thereafter open the door for his further plans, as no court will then stop a crematorium from being built on the Doongarwadi land once we accept cremation as a legitimate way of disposal of our dead. He has already filed a case in the Mumbai High Court on behalf of his so-called clients for this cremate-ni-bungli at Doongarwadi; four Trustees are opposing it but Mr. Tamboly and Mr. Maneck Engineer are supporting Mr. Berjis Desai on this issue. In fact, at Mr. Berjis Desai’s behest, Mr. Byram Jeejeebhoy has donated land around Malad to the ARZ for construction of a Cosmopolitan Agiary thereon.

The community is also aware of the resignation of four Trustees in 2006 and their subsequent withdrawal. Despite what you might hear or read, the fact still remains that these four Trustees unconditionally withdrew their allegations against me as never having been made. I am enclosing the joint statement dated 29-6-2006 issued on the occasion by all six Trustees.

I once again earnestly appeal to you to support me to fulfil my vision of ‘Protecting the Trust and Preserving our Traditions’ by casting your vote in my favour.

Yours sincerely,

Dinshaw Rusi Mehta