The Bhabha Brawl

What The Community Needs To Know

One of the sad truths, that our Community and its unsuspecting members have had to endure, is the repetitive attempts of those who wish to put a spanner in the works – whenever our Community is on the path of progress. ‘Two steps forward, one step back’, has become the unfortunate norm, much to the anguish of our community members as it comes at the cost of the Community’s welfare.

Without mincing words, let me get straight to the heart of the matter. I wish to share the truth via this communique with our community members who may be getting misled by the falsities and twisted facts published in the weekly famous for the same – Parsi Junction. In fact, even its so-called Editor/Publisher/Printer – Parvez Driver, is much like its so-called ‘news’, because it’s a well-known fact amongst those in the know that Dinshaw Mehta, is the hand behind the pen.

I have been instrumental in conceiving and pushing the installation of ‘BPP 2.0’, at every stage, with the active and whole-hearted support of my colleague trustees. I’ve ensured to seek the consent of my colleague Trustees as opposed to going public. It is therefore, even more mandatory, that such baseless allegations be confronted, in the true interest of the community, by setting right the falsehood spread by Parsi Junction.

Recently, Dinshaw Mehta, in his latest issue of Parsi Junction, has made false accusations that I, Kersi Randeria, was trying to sell the Bhabha Sanatorium!

Nothing can be further from the truth!!

The following is the relevant excerpt taken from the minutes of the meeting, where the BPP Board was formally discussing the issue of its properties as well as the cashflow required to maintain and preserve the same.

The minutes, which have been referred to by Parsi Junction and produced only in part and twisted to suit their warped theory, are produced in whole, as under:

Minutes Of The BPP Board Meeting Held On March 12, 2019


IN THE MATTER OF AUGMENTING FUNDS FOR THE TRUST WITH REGARDS TO BHABHA SANATORIUM AND OTHER PROPERTIES OF BPP:


Trustee Mr. Randeria informed the Board that the colleague Trustee Mr. Viraf Mehta had declared more than once that he will give a full support and co-operation in settling the Bhabha Sanatorium issues in which ever way the Trustees decide. Therefore, the Trustees should try and find out ways to settle the issue. He (Kersi Randeria) suggested the under mentioned alternatives:


a) BPP should obtain permission of the Charity Commissioner and try to monetize by selling the plot outright. Expecting a revenue of around Rs.700 crores.

b) Allot the plot to a builder with terms of building accommodation partly for the Trust to be allotted to the deserving Parsis.

c) BPP can go for a joint development wherein it can sell ownership flats to Parsi Applicants.

d) The Bhabha plot can be partly monetized.


Chairman Mr. Yazdi Desai was of the opinion that the Bhabha Sanatorium should be sold off outright. He was of the opinion that some foreign nationals may be interested. He suggested that one or two Trustees must take up this issue as a Project and give their best efforts and complete the same. Trustee Mr. Viraf Mehta informed that he would not even think of selling it as the same would definitely draw objections from the Community. He (Viraf Mehta) suggested that the new buildings at Bhabha can be kept for transit accommodation and the remaining plot can be used for development. Trustee Mr. Randeria suggested that in that case the Trust can go Public and ask for objections in the matter.

 

As you can see, the proposal to sell the property, on an ‘as is – where is’ basis, which has been recorded in the minutes, finds favour with BPP Chairman Yazdi Desai, who has, in fact said that there could be interested foreign investors to buy the property. (Yazdi Desai genuinely believes that it is important for the cash-strapped Trust to create a corpus which will help in continuing and expanding the social activities of the Trust including financially supporting the second and third child initiative; doles; and Mobed schemes.)

The minutes also clearly indicate that Trustee Viraf Mehta has expressed his intention of not selling the property but developing it instead. The record also clearly states that if Viraf and the others wish to go down that path, then it is imperative that the matter be taken before the public and asked for their objections. These few lines (were conveniently and maliciously) not published by the Parsi Junction.

In another meeting of the BPP Board held on May 15th, the following has been recorded:

Minutes Of The BPP Board Meeting Held On May 15, 2019


IN THE MATTER OF HERITAGE TDR (Transfer of Development Rights):

Trustee Mr. Randeria informed that he did not move forward in the matter of obtaining Heritage TDR against the Khareghat Colony Plot as it was presumed that Ex-Chairman Mr. D.R. Mehta would object in the matter. Even Viraf Mehta had stated that he would not be in a position to stop his father from objecting.


 The TDR to be obtained was only notional and no property was to be parted with for the same. By not implementing the idea the Trust was put to a great loss.


 Chairman stated that instead of going for Heritage TDR the Trust should try to think of ways to explore the Bhabha Sanatorium property. Mr. Noshir Dadrawala informed that if it was known that the Trustees were trying to explore the Bhabha Sanatorium property there would definitely be objections from the Community and further there was no question of selling the said property. Mr. Randeria stated that in the case of Bhabha Sanatorium property Trustee Mr. Viraf Mehta had assured the Board that he would stand with the decision of the Board of Trustees even if a legal action is to be taken in the matter. Further, Mr. Randeria was against selling of the property outright but was of the opinion to explore other possible areas.

How can anybody then question my clearly and often stated views about this property???

There are numerous other extracts that I can put forward to further confirm my stance on not being pro the outright selling of Parsi properties. I share only these two excerpts with you at this stage, in keeping with my preference to not go public about matters that should be solved by the Trustees ourselves, as also honouring my commitment to ensure delivering transparency and truth to community members who have put their faith in me, as they have, in my fellow Trustees.

To further cement my standpoint against the outright sale of Parsi properties, I would like to share with you that I have often been told by my colleague trustees that my written Disclaimer objecting the sale of charity flats – which appears prominently under all advertisements of property auctions in the news weeklies – has resonated with and been well received by majority community members. Perhaps this adds to the displeasure of those who wish to sell Parsi properties, thereby motivating them to try and cast false aspersions aimed at destroying my goodwill in the Community and the faith that my Community members have in me.

In the typical case of ‘ulta chor kotwal ko daante’, what is even more shocking and disappointing is the fact that Viraf Mehta provides his father all the confidential information and e-mails between Trustees – published ad nauseam in his father’s publication – Parsi Junction. I’ve often requested Viraf to refrain from doing so as it violates the confidentiality between Trustees, as also collectively undermines the Board, when internal matters, which call for internal resolution, are put up for public consumption – selectively and out of context – and thus, end up misleading community members leading to false perceptions.

In the spirit of disclosure, let me also share that Viraf Mehta has always been in favour of auctioning flats. Shockingly and sadly, in the very first auction itself, his father, Dinshaw Mehta, showed up for the auction as a bidder, wanting to buy the auctioned property for personal/family use! It was I who intervened and had recorded that a Trustee cannot benefit from the Trust and Viraf Mehta should not try to buy the flat via his father.

Coming back to the current Bhabha Sanatorium accusation against me, maybe it is amply clear now that Mehta wants to “continue” as a Trustee only because he wants to be “actively involved” in the redevelopment of Bhabha Sanatorium! In fact, even in the minutes it has been recorded that Viraf wanted the development of the property while Chairman Yazdi Desai was intent on selling it to a foreign party. As per the minutes, when “Mr Randeria suggested that in that case the Trust can “go public” and “ask for objections in the matter”, I seem to have earned the ire of the Mehtas for opposing “sale of flats” as they are very worried about the goodwill my non-sale stance has generated. Which is probably why I have been under attack for a while now.

The root of this entire false accusation, according to my colleague Viraf Mehta, recorded over an exchange of whatsapp messages, is purportedly a derogatory letter written by much respected, senior community member, Ms. Piroja Homi Jokhi, against his dad, Dinshaw Mehta, (in the Letters To Editor section of Parsi Times), whereof Viraf Mehta has accused me of writing under her pseudonym, or in the alternative, influencing her to write the same at my behest!

While I understand and even appreciate a son’s loyalty to defend a father who is constantly under the scanner with good reason, how Viraf arrived at that preposterous conclusion that I would write under Ms. Jokhi’s pseudonym, defeats me. But let me state for the record, that I never have, nor need to resort to such ridiculous shenanigans to put my point across. I am nothing if not outright and outspoken – those who know me personally and professionally, would testify to that!

But more importantly, those who know Ms. Piroja Jokhi, as the upright community member in her nineties, who has always spoken her mind for the welfare of the community, will find it rather ludicrous that she would consent to let her name be used in this manner. In the past, she has written scathingly against various trustees and or their decisions and views. And such a comment is also offensive to the ethos of Parsi Times.

I know for a fact, that Parsi Times receives numerous emails from Ms. Jokhi and a number of her bold letters and articles have been published over the years, quashing the baseless claims by the Mehtas. Incidentally, her articles also get published in the Parsiana magazine, but I’m glad that at least the respected editor, Jehangir Patel, hasn’t been accused of the same by Dinshaw or Viraf Mehta!


The following response has been given by Ms. Piroja Jokhi, clearing her position of any such false accusations about Kersi Randeria writing derogatory content about Dinshaw Mehta, by using her name, under Letters to the Editor, in Parsi Times:


“I have absolutely nothing to do with this! Whatever I write, are my own thoughts and they are only to do with what I feel in the interests of the Community. Let it be known that I have not at all interacted with Mr. Kersi Randeria and that the Letters to Editor that have been printed in Parsi Times are all mailed by me directly to Parsi Times and reflect my thoughts, opinions and solutions to the various problems that our Community faces today.”


– Ms. Piroja Homi Jokhi


I hope the above-mentioned facts have helped correct any misconceptions that community members may have been subjected to – though I sincerely believe that most members of the community are neither naïve nor foolish enough to believe the falsehood that Parsi Junction dishes out, week after week. I am, and have been always been available, particularly over the last four years, to members of the community over the phone or at the BPP office.

Kersi Randeria

BPP Trustee

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