Foreword and Disclaimer:

Arzan Ghadially is a member of the ‘Federation of BPP & Wadia Baugs in Mumbai (FBWBM), the proposed name for a group of committed community members who have proven themselves based on their track record of community service, and have been therefore, formally recognized by the BPP as the official body that will facilitate unbiased communication and coordination between the Community members and the BPP, with the ultimately aim of Community Welfare.

Recently, another unrecognized association, namely ‘The Federation of the Associations & Activists of BPP Baugs and Colonies’, led by Parvez Driver, has allegedly appointed itself as the ‘Super Trustee’, with self-imposed conditions proclaiming that BPP Trustees cannot take decisions without their consent or permission. Further this association is also alleged to have a populist and political agenda like abolition of tenancy, etc, with which it could mislead community members. It has recently put out a message on social media, decrying the efforts of the FBWBM, and falsely proclaiming itself as the sole group to represent the Baug Associations.

The following is the representation of the response given by Arzan Ghadially. Please note that Parsi Times does not prescribe to the views stated in his letter, and is accommodating the same to avoid the possibility of the Community members getting misled.

“I am in receipt of an unsigned letter purportedly addressed to the community by Parvez Driver (though common sense and knowledge suggests otherwise, in keeping with his preferred associations), which I am responding to by directly addressing Parvez Driver, as under:

I fail to understand why you as the self-appointed Trustee of this Registered Federation haven’t done a basic fact check before publishing your letter in the social media. Mr. Zoru Bhatena had met the Trustees separately on matters of PGH. He was not involved with our Federation. You should have done your homework, Mr. Trustee of FOAABBC. How will you run a Federation when you can’t even do the simple job of writing letters without verifying facts?  I’m aware that you apologised to Zoru for the blunder after it was pointed out.

In Gamadia colony, with whom you share common senior friends, had illegally occupied a flat. It is our Federation’s members who took up this cause and were present there for two days from morning to midnight, and were finally able to made the illegal occupant vacate the flat, which was then handed over to the rightful occupant – a blind person. The entire BPP and its legal team worked hard on it. This is what is meant by working together, unlike your preference for printing trash, week after week, and posing impediments in the path of BPP’s attempts to get work done for the community.
You may blow your trumpet about your Federation being registered with the Charity Commissioner but in reality, it makes no difference because what is important is that your association is formally recognised by the BPP. BUT IT IS NOT. We, on the other hand, are RECOGNIZED FORMALLY BY THE BPP AND HAVE ALREADY STARTED OFFICIALLY WORKING WITH THEM, as you can gauge from the above example of Gamadia colony.

Honestly, what is the track record of your achievements? You are known to have allowed the bore well water from your own Panthaky Baug to get quietly siphoned off to the main road out of the colony through a pipe into water tankers! What did you do to stop it? I had visited and reported the matter to the BPP and today the BPP is earning revenue for the same water. Where were you then, Pervez Driver?? If you’re unable to take care of what’s happening in your very own colony, how can you claim that you will take care of the community? Are you serious?

Read your own manifesto of the Federation. You seem to have joined the ‘False-Promises’ bandwagon by promising tenancy rights to residents when forming this Federation, when you very well know that this is just not possible, as quoted by the same Trustees who won the elections by fooling our gullible community members with these same false promises. You want to continue fooling the community with your Federation? Your agenda is not to help the colonies, but to gain control and create grounds for next elections and not let the BPP work.

What we have formed is a Federation of like-minded, educated people who facilitate two-way communication and co-ordination between the Baugs and BPP. Unlike you and your team, I did not self-appoint myself as the Trustee, but left it to members to form their own team. It is abundantly clear that your posturing is done with an eye to promote and canvass in the coming elections. You have now started a 12-page publication and are harassing the BPP Board; you’re not allowing them to work by leaking internal mails. With this behavior, do you expect the BPP to welcome you with open arms? We have not forced any member to join us for we believe in quality, and not quantity. You are free to collect your yes-men for your federation.
After being aware of your agenda, if any community member still wishes to join your Federation of self-appointed Trustees, they are free to do so. But our community is not made of fools and your membership will be restricted to only your friends and cronies.

As regards your statement regarding how Xerxes Dastur is trying to reduce the service charges, working along with your Federation, let me inform you that this has now created another controversy for Xerxes. Let me re-jog your memory to remember a while ago, when Viraf Mehta had graciously suggested to let BPP bear 50% of the additional service charge cost, it was Xerxes Dastur who stopped him saying how can such a commitment be made when the BPP were in losses. So, Parvez Driver, STOP MISLEADING THE COMMUNITY. Even so, for added confirmation, through a separate letter I will inquire with the BPP about Xerxes’ involvement in reducing Service Charges. Also, by the way, Pervez, since when did BPP appoint you or your Federation as spokesperson for Xerxes Dastur? Quit playing these games and if you are seriously interested in working for the community, let’s unite and serve the community. We are ready.”

Arzan J. Ghadially