Assembly panel wants govt to discipline elite clubs, discard dress code

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Jun 7: All the elite clubs in Bangalore and Mysore could well come under stringent scrutiny of the State Government with a six-member committee headed by BJP leader D Hemachandra Sagar demanding that they should be disciplined by the Government, if the report is accepted by the Siddaramaiah ministry.

The Hemachandra Sagar panel, which visited the elite Golf Club, Century Club, Karnataka State Cricket Association, Bangalore Turf Club, Bowing Institute Club, Bangalore Club, all in Bangalore, and Sri Kanteerava Narasimharaja Sports Club, Club House Mysore Race Club Limited and Jayacharajendra Wodeyar Golf Club and inspected their functioning, has pointed out that the functioning of almost all the clubs was not strictly in accordance with democratic norms.

The panel said the posh clubs, which catered to the super rich and well-heeled sections of society, indulged in illegal activities by breaking all Government rules and regulations.

Almost all the posh clubs in two major cities functioning in impregnable style to safeguard the interests of the rich members and some of the clubs were still following the "old and archaic administrative rules of the British empire" and beyond the reach of the common people.

In its findings, the panel took sharp exception to the practice of the elite clubs in adopting dress codes and giving membership to foreigners, black money holders, and espouse western culture.

The elite clubs, which had obtained several benefits from the Government, have become a place for unwanted luxury and were not in tune with the democratic norms and ethos of the country or aspirations of the people, the panel said.

The Hemachandra Panel suggested that the Government should formulate uniform guidelines for fixing membership fee and must be asked to create an environment for providing membership for even the common people of the State.

All the social and elite clubs in the State must be asked to frame rules to permit entry to all respected citizens, who were wearing decent dress, the committee said.

The Clubs were established on land given either on lease or rent given by the Government for several years and enjoyed several direct and indirect concessions. But the contribution from clubs to the Government was negligible, the committee said.

It was found that the Department officials were also hand-in-glove with the clubs. Even as several clubs had encroached government lands, the officials remained silent on the issue, the report said.

A few clubs have been conducting activities without the permission of the government and indulged in commercial business and deceiving government, it said.

Several cosmopolitan clubs were causing not only loss of revenue to the State exchequer but also grabbed the government lands and were functioning with impunity, which had to be stopped, the committee said.

The panel recommended suitable action against clubs which indulged in illegal activities and wanted measures for timely renewal of leases and rent periods to bring more revenue to the state.

The committee recommended granting of government lands on rents for a maximum of five year period.

The clubs should not be allowed to conduct activities for which they had not obtained permission from the Government and must be asked to carry out only the approved activities.

No dress code to be prescribed in clubs and any citizen should be allowed to enter club premises with decent clothing, the panel said.

The government should also decide the membership fee in all clubs and clubs must obtain permission from authorities to fix fee. The government should cancel permission given to clubs if they were established by encroaching government lands. Steps should be taken to recover encroached lands by clubs, the committee recommended.