The monthly general meeting of the Gujarati Samaj NZ Inc. was held on August 3, 2024, commencing at 10:15 am. The meeting began with safety rules presented by the Secretary, Shri Atul Purohit, followed by a prayer led by Smt. Rashmikaben Patel, Dr. Nilima Upadhyay, and their group. A moment of silence was observed in honor of the late Shri Mahendrabhai Goswami, a past member of the Gujarati Samaj NZ. The meeting continued with patriotic songs performed by Smt. Urmilaben and Shri Jashubhai Patel, followed by another patriotic song by Shri Dineshbhai Sheth. Shri Atul Purohit then announced donations received from Smt. Pushpaben Thaker ($151) and Smt. Malvikaben Shah ($50) in recognition of their 80th birthdays, celebrated during the July 2024 meeting. On behalf of the members, Shri Atul Purohit expressed gratitude for their contributions.
Dr. Nilima Upadhyay and her group performed "Maa Ambika Ni Gujarat Yatra," offering insightful information about Maa Amba temples in Gujarat and performing a traditional Garba dance, which was well-received by the attendees. The meeting also celebrated the birthdays of members born in August, with birthday cards distributed by Shri Harmanbhai Patel and Smt. Jashodaben Patel, and a birthday song sung by Shri Jashubhai Patel.
The outgoing president, Shri Kiritbhai Thaker, delivered a speech highlighting the progress and achievements made during his six-year tenure, attributing the successes to the support and inspiration of the members. He also discussed the careful timing of resignations to ensure the successful application for grants, which resulted in approvals of NZ$10,000 from TTFC and NZ$2,500 from COGS. Shri Kiritbhai Thaker addressed the challenges faced, including the tarnishing of the Gujarati Samaj's reputation, and emphasized the importance of resolving internal issues through discussion rather than spreading negative propaganda.
Shri Kiritbhai Thaker shared information about the recent election process, noting that Shri Nayanbhai Mistry, the election officer, was invited to present his final report. Shri Nayanbhai Mistry thanked the caretaker EC members for their support and outlined the election timeline, including the issuance and scrutiny of election forms. He reported that 25 election forms were issued, with 13 candidates ultimately qualifying for 10 positions after some withdrawals. Eight candidates were declared uncontested winners, and one existing candidate, Smt. Bhartidevi Chouhan, would join the new Executive Committee.
Shri Nayanbhai Mistry also addressed issues encountered during the election process, including the disrespectful behavior of an EC member, Shri Ashokbhai Raval, during the presentation of the interim election report. He further discussed the disqualification of two candidates, Shri Kiritbhai Parikh and Shri Vijaybhai Mody, due to past irregularities. Shri Nayanbhai Mistry recommended improvements to the election process and concluded his report by thanking all participants and the caretaker EC for their efforts.
Following the election report, Shri Kiritbhai Thaker invited Shri Chunilal Mehta, a senior and founding member of GSNZ, to address the meeting. Shri Chunilal Mehta provided explanations for past irregularities, including the membership of Shri Vijaybhai Mody, missing 2016 election records, and issues with voter lists from the 2018 elections. He took responsibility for these mistakes and advocated for allowing the two disqualified candidates to serve as EC members. The meeting concluded with a vote on this matter, and an announcement of sponsors for refreshments.