Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Maharashtra's Parsi community hails PM Modi for giving due recognition & boost to India’s smallest minority community
Parsi Community of Maharashtra joins Indian Minorities Foundation’s ‘Sewa Pakhwada’ to celebrate PM Modi’s 74th birthday with Prayers and Tree Planting in Mumbai
Babushahi Bureau
Mumbai, September 25, 2024 – 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” organized by Indian Minorities Foundation (IMF) at MP Khareghat Memorial Hall, Sitaram Patkar Marg, Khareghat Colony, Babulnath, Chowpatty, Mumbai as part of the 'Sewa Pakhwada', a fortnight full of activities from 17 September 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 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 the 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 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 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 the creation of entrepreneurial opportunities, youth from Parsi community have been empowered like never before in last 10 years under Modi government.
Parsi community members said to realise PM Modi’s vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047, 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 moving forward on path to become global superpower under PM Modi’s leadership.
Minority communities have been made equal partners in the development of India under PM Modi’s leadership, says Rajya Sabha Member Satnam Singh Sandhu
Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and IMF Convener Satnam Singh Sandhu 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. Jiyo Parsi scheme, launched in 2014 by Prime Minister Modi to boost the Parsi population in India, is an ambitious plan to halt the decline of our population and it has begun to show success. The population has increased by 25%, growing from 57,264 to 71,000 which is a great news for a community facing extinction. The Modi government has also launched Jiyo Parsi scheme Portal which would enable more Parsi Couples to take advantage of the scheme by applying online, and receiving the financial assistance online through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode,”.
“Parsi couples with a family income below Rs 15 lakh annually, having a child after 2017-18, are also receiving Rs 8,000 per month per child until age 18. Additionally, Rs 10,000 per month is being provided for each elderly dependent (60+ years), starting after the child's birth and continuing for their lifetime. A budget Rs 60 Crore has been allocated for this scheme which would continue till 2025-26. This is another great initiative of the Modi government. The development achieved by the Parsi community in India shows minority communities have been made equal partners in the development of India under PM Modi’s leadership,” Sandhu added.
No other government in the world has promoted the idea for increasing the number of Parsis, says 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 said, “The fact that we have been looked after in India from the time we arrived in India in 10th century, to me that 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,”.
On 10 Padma Awards given by the Modi government to Parsis in the past 10 years, Mistree said “I am very happy that the immense contribution of Parsi community has been recognised in the field of industry, armed forces, law, health and other fields,”.
On Jio Parsi Scheme, Mistree said, “This government has developed Jio Parsi scheme further. As a concept, it’s wonderful thing that the government has done of encouraging Parsis to have more children. No other government in the world has promoted this idea where they want to increase the number of Parsis.
On empowerment of 4,054 women from the Parsi community under Lakhpati Didi scheme of the PM Modi government, Mistree said, “It’s wonderful that poor Parsis have been helped,”.
No Prime Minister has done so much for the Parsi community as PM Modi has done in past 10 years, says Jeroo Jal Rabadi, Honorary Joint Secretary, Khareghat Colony Youth Association Trust Fund
Jeroo Jal Rabadi, Honorary Joint Secretary, Khareghat Colony Youth Association Trust Fund, said, “I really respect this Prime Minister (Modi) because he has done so much for the Parsi community. No other Prime Minister has done that much than he has done. With powerful figure like him as PM, we Parsis expect much more from him. It may be difficult but it’s our expectation because he is so good and can easily do it,”.
On Padma Awards given to the Parsi community, Rabadi said, “We feel very proud about it. At least we are getting recognition now which I feel was very much due to us. We are also happy that Parsi women are getting recognition that was due to them for so many years,”.
Lauding PM Modi for granting Indian citizenship to Parsi community members persecuted in other countries with implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), she said, “It’s a wonderful thing because we are a micro minority community and to get people (Parsi) back from other countries will be lovely..,”.
On Jio Parsi scheme, Rabadi “I think with PM Modi’s inputs and his sincerity of wanting to increase the Parsi numbers, I think it (scheme) will work out. But I think the Parsis should also co-operate and respond to him. He is one leader who can do something for us, afterwards we don’t know what will happen. With his leadership, we are hoping for a lot. And we are also sure and confident that he will do things for us. We Parsis sisters are with him all the way to achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat and we can envision the future that he does for us. So we are with him all the way and we hope this birthday gives him lot more good health, happiness, prosperity so that he in turn can do things for us. So may he live long and help us Parsis.
Modi government has recognised the contribution of Parsi community by giving Padma Awards to 10 people from the community, says Cyrus Dastoor, President Khareghat Colony Youth Association Trust Fund
Cyrus Dastoor, President Khareghat Colony Youth Association said, “First of all I wish to say happy birthday to PM Modi. He should live long and continue the good work especially for the Parsi community. The Parsi community has done a lot for the development of the country and the Modi government has recognised this contribution by giving Padma Awards to 10 people from the community. Lot of good work is being for the Parsi community under the Jio Parsi community for the children and their families.
PM Modi's Lakhpati Didi Scheme empowered women of Parsi community: Pearl Misty, Counsellor, Jiyo Parsi Scheme
A counsellor, Jiyo Parsi Scheme, Pearl Misty said, “PM Modi is doing so much for our Parsi community. I want to thank him for that. I am proud that I am associated with the Parsi community. PM Modi has always encouraged the Parsi community and has also appreciated their contribution. He has always recognized the values of the Parsi community. In the last decade, he has also given Padma Shri awards to 10 persons of the Parsi community. PM Modi always believes in the traditions of the Parsi community and is taking the country forward on the same path. I am happy that 4,054 women of the Parsi community have been empowered under the Lakhpati Didi Yojana of the Modi government. This apart, an amount of Rs 22 crore has been released under the 'Jio Parsi Yojana' for the welfare of the Parsi community. Parsi couples with family income less than 10 lakhs, who have elderly members in their family, have been provided financial assistance which is proving to be very helpful for the Parsi community. PM Modi has made the Citizenship Amendment Act to give shelter to the Parsi community in India, who were living outside India in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and other countries. They have also been given citizenship to live here. This is also a commendable effort of the Modi government. In the end, I want to say that the effort being made to encourage the Parsi community to increase their population in order to preserve them is commendable,”.
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