Mumbai: The Bombay Parsi Punchayet has broken ties with Zoroastrian Youth for the Next Generation (ZYNG), its youth wing which worked to get young people in the community together. The BPP trustees allege that ZYNG was elitist in its functioning and never made middle-class Parsi youth feel comfortable about getting involved in its activities. The decision has not gone down well with youngsters in the community who feel that the BPP could have worked out an amicable solution instead of completely dissociating with ZYNG.
Last week, one of the BPP trustees, Noshir Dadrawala, issued a statement in Parsi newspapers announcing that the BPP had parted ways with the seven-year-old youth wing. He said “I have just moved the motion to let ZYNG go independent. BPP Chairman Yazdi Desai and fellow trustee Kersi Randeria supported the motion. Trustees Viraf Mehta and Armaity Tirandaz dissented. The resolution was passed by a vote of 3:2. With immediate effect, ZYNG is no longer the Youth Wing of the BPP.”
When The Hindu contacted Mr. Desai, he said that BPP has spent over Rs. 1 crore on ZYNG, provided them a separate office and supported them in all ways, “But the body has only funded trustee Viraf Mehta’s Parsi political ambitions. ZYNG was very elitist and never made middle-class Parsi youth comfortable; they were ashamed of associating with BPP and their printed stationery and letterheads did not mention their association with BPP anywhere.” Mr. Desai said that there was no accountability, that ZYNG refused to share its database and there was no benefit to BPP’s objectives. “The dissociation was inevitable. We should have cut off with ZYNG long back.”
Mr. Mehta is the son of former BPP chairman Dinshaw Mehta. The younger Mehta is a BPP trustee and has been an active member of ZYNG since its inception. But there have been several fall outs between him and other BPP trustees who are also embroiled in several legal battles with his father. “It is very sad that the trustees are punishing ZYNG because of the fallout between us,” Mr. Mehta said. “What kind of statement are they making by breaking ties with a body just because they have a difference of opinion?” he said that it was a politically motivated move. “ZYNG was created in 2009 to help Parsi girls and boys to come meet each other. The idea was to encourage the youth to be more aware of community affairs and take keen participation. There was nothing political about it. The majority Trustees thought I used the ZYNG platform during the elections which is totally wrong and hence they are targeting the group. ZYNG is beyond you me or the BPP trustees.”
ZYNG was started in December 2009. Today it has over 4000 members and it has organised over 120 events including weekend trips and speed-dating initiatives, in line with its underlying aim: encouraging marriages within the shrinking community.
“At least 50 per cent of Parsis live outside the baugs or colonies,” said Dilkhush Ravtewala, who was a founder member of ZYNG. “We wanted to have a social platform where all the youngsters could come together and mingle. Over the years, ZYNG became a brand in the community and the youth identified with it. We even have our own merchandise.” Ms. Ravtewala said that it was hurtful that the BPP has suddenly said that ZYNG doesn’t belong to them. Benaifer Kuka, another member of the youth organisation, said that it been very good platform that got many couples together. “So many people I know have dated and some of them went ahead and got married. I am unaware about the BPP’s reasons but ZYNG was definitely a good medium for us.”
