Tata row: Udvada fire temple priest pitches for resolving issues as per law, composite reconciliation

Amid the row at the Tata Group a senior priest from one of the holiest sites for the Parsi community has pitched for a resolution within the framework of law and composite reconciliationVada Dasturji Khurshed Dastoor the high priest of Udvadas Iranshah Atash Behram wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday pointing out that preservation of philanthropic institutions and the observance of the rule of law are not competing objectivesThe letter comes at a time of rupture within the higher echelons of the Tata group with the management entrusted with running Indias largest conglomerate at loggerheads with its largest shareholder Tata Trusts a string of philanthropic institutions over a range of issues including listing the holding company Tata SonsTata Trusts chairman Noel Tata opposes a listing citing the groups legacy and how it will hamper capital allocations and the Tata Sons management led by chairman N Chandrasekaran cites the need to adhere to the rule of land pointing out the RBIs mandate for an upper layer NBFC like Tata Sons to listMy sincere hope is that these matters will be resolved within the framework of the law and in a spirit of composite reconciliation with all parties recognising that institutional legacies are preserved by upholding the values and principles that gave them their standing the letter by Dastoor which has been reviewed by PTI saidThe preservation of philanthropic institutions and the observance of the rule of law are not competing objectives They must complement each other and in fact they can be mutually reinforcing it addedThis is at least the second instance of a member from the Parsi community writing to the Prime Minister Earlier six organisations including Bombay Parsi Punchayat and Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India had written to the Prime Minister in which they seemed to have supported NoelIn his letter Dastoor said the row has the potential to affect institutions and relationships that have been built over generations and asked all concerned to exercise restraint wisdom and maturity and choose dialogue over disagreementInterests of the community Tatas philanthropic legacy and wider national interest are far too important to be compromised by prolonged differences between individuals or institutionsDastoor has also thanked the Prime Minister for the support extended to the Zoroastrian community over the years