Mumbai: The Parsi community of Maharashtra has hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s compassionate leadership and for giving due recognition & boost to India’s smallest minority community in the past 10 years. The Parsi community of Maharashtra joined hands with Indian Minorities Foundation (IMF) in its ‘Sewa Pakhwada’ to celebrate PM Modi’s 74th birthday with prayers and tree plantation drive in Mumbai.
A minority among the minorities, Parsis living happily in a safe haven in India under PM Modi’s leadership. A 25% rise in population under the Jiyo Parsi initiative marks a new era for the Parsi community in India. Members of the Parsi community highlighted the 10 years of growth and inclusion.
Members of the Parsi community in Maharashtra prayed for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s long and healthy life, wishing for the progress and prosperity of India under his leadership, during an event “Hamari Dharohar: Celebrating Unity and Service” organised by Indian Minorities Foundation (IMF) at MP Khareghat Memorial Hall, Sitaram Patkar Marg, Khareghat Colony, Babulnath, Girgaum Chowpatty, Mumbai as part of the ‘Sewa Pakhwada’, a fortnight full of activities from September 17 to celebrate the birthday of PM Modi.
Tree plantation and distribution of saplings was also done during this event under the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” tree plantation drive launched by PM Modi for paying respect to Mother and Mother Earth by planting saplings.
Prominent members of the Parsi community in Mumbai including Manik Dastoor and Khojeste P Mistree attended the event. Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and IMF Convener, Satnam Singh Sandhu, was also present on the occasion.
During the event, Parsi community thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his ‘compassionate leadership’ during the past 10 years by upholding religious freedom to all minority communities in India including Parsis.
They also lauded PM Modi for opening the way for granting Indian citizenship to Parsi community members persecuted in other countries with implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Members of the Parsi community said despite being a minority among minorities in the country, they are living happily in India under PM Modi’s leadership which shows Indian society does not discriminate against even the smallest of the religious minority.
They said despite facing persecution elsewhere in the world, Parsis have found a safe haven in India and are prospering in various fields under PM Modi’s leadership. Parsi Community has seen unprecedented development in the last 10 years under PM Modi’s leadership, they said.
Members of the Parsi community also thanked PM Modi for giving due recognition to the contribution of the community in India’s development by giving them 10 Padma Awards and initiating schemes like Jio Parsi Scheme to increase the population of the community.
They said from Mudra loans and scholarships to creation of entrepreneurial opportunities, youth from the Parsi community have been empowered like never before in the last 10 years under Modi government.
Parsi community members said that to realise PM Modi’s vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047, the Parsi community is standing shoulder to shoulder with him to strengthen India in every sector and enrich India’s progress across sectors under PM Modi’s leadership. They said the nation is moving forward on a path to become a global superpower under PM Modi’s leadership.
Minority communities have been made equal partners in the development of India under PM Modi’s leadership, said Rajya Sabha MP and IMF Convener Satnam Singh Sandhu. He said, “Under the leadership of PM Modi, there is discrimination towards any religious minority including Parsis who are the smallest minority among all the minority communities in India. PM Modi has taken the great initiative like Jiyo Parsi scheme for arresting the population decline of the Parsi Community by adopting scientific protocol and structured interventions to stabilize their population in India.”
No other government in the world has promoted the idea for increasing the number of Parsis, said Khojeste P Mistree, a trustee of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet, Managing Trustee of Zoroastrian Studies and Trustee of the Athravan Educational Trust. Khojeste P Mistree in his speechsaid, “The fact that we have been looked after in India from the time we arrived in India in 10th century, to me that is very important. It shows the spirit of mother India, the spirit of secularity in India. From that point of view, it’s a wonderful experience for our small community.”
