[Letter to Mr Minoo Masani]

Summary

This four-page English-language correspondence, dated 6 September 1969, consists of a covering letter from Keshavji B. Magodia to Minoo R. Masani and an enclosed memorandum from the Shri Bulsar Meyavat (Dharma Fund) Mandal, Bombay. Magodia reports that he discussed his nomination as a Justice of Peace with S. V. Raju of the Swatantra Party, following Masani’s suggestion, and asks Masani to support the request with the relevant authorities.

The memorandum presents the case for appointing Magodia as a Justice of Peace during Mahatma Gandhi’s birth-centenary year. It argues that Greater Bombay’s Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities are too numerous to be adequately served by the existing number and availability of Justices of Peace, causing delays and hardship in obtaining signatures and settling cases. It portrays Magodia as an experienced social worker active in educational and social uplift, fluent in English, Marathi, Gujarati, and Hindi, and committed to serving both his own community and the wider public. The document is complete as rendered; no title is printed on the letter.

Key points

• The letter is dated 6 September 1969 and is addressed by Keshavji B. Magodia to Minoo R. Masani.
• Magodia says he discussed the nomination request with S. V. Raju of the Swatantra Party after being asked to do so by Masani.
• The enclosed memorandum asks the Maharashtra government to appoint Magodia as a Justice of Peace during Gandhi’s birth-centenary year.
• The memorandum cites the size of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe population in Greater Bombay.
• It argues that too few Justices of Peace and their limited availability create delays, lost time, and hardship for downtrodden communities.
• Magodia is described as a social worker involved in educational and social uplift and as a fluent speaker of four languages.
• The memorandum presents his public service as extending beyond his own community to all people.