Sprawling across 27.3 acres of ground, the Delhi Gymkhana Club is not just a building but a landmark in Lutyens’ Delhi. Its historical significance, however, is not the only reason that makes this institution the talk of town of late. Member of the club are going to Delhi High Court tomorrow, to challenge the Centre’s eviction notice, and this battle over the club’s future has reignited the debate around privilege, exclusivity and public land in the Capital.
What happened?
The Centre asked Delhi Gymkhana Club to vacate its premises on Safdarjung Road by June 5, stating that the land near key government and defence establishments in Lutyens’ Delhi is needed for “strengthening and securing defence infrastructure” and other public security requirements.
The order was issued by the Land and Development Office (L&DO) under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry. The move has sharply divided opinion online and within Delhi’s social circles. To capture both sides of the debate, we speak to critics and supporters of the club.
What’s the debate:Speaking in favour of the eviction, commentator Abhishek Asthana aka Gabbar, says: “This notification that the club falls under a security area had come long ago. The Government was sitting on it. The members are deeply entrenched in bureaucracy, so they had the power to stall it for a while. It is an elite club; you couldn’t even get membership. Its exclusivity is what makes it valuable for many members to flaunt.”
Talking against the eviction, Vijay Chhiber, a two-time former president of the club, says: “Fifty per cent of the club’s members are government servants, who come from different backgrounds. If that makes me elite, I’m proud of it! I’m proud to be a Stephanian (alumnus of Delhi University’s St Stephen’s College), and yes, we are elite because we’ve got the best education and got admission on merit. The Parliament is the most exclusive club, too! But then, right or wrong, one has to give it to those who got elected. Does that mean we should wind up that, too? Clubs have actually existed much before the British (era), and the word ‘elite’ is being used like a gaali (abuse). ”
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