Mumbai: ‘Why is their life membership free?’

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Members at Tardeo's spiffy Willingdon Sports Club (WSC) had to blink twice as they peered through the glasses perched on their noses on Saturday morning, to confirm what they were reading. News reports stated that the Chief Minister will be able to nominate 50 life members to the Club, and three more annually, post the club's lease being renewed. Soon, social media started whirring, with memes like "no paan rules at Willingdon soon" and "no chappals please on signboards at the club". Members who spoke on the condition of anonymity stated they were reeling in shock. One member explained, "Those who apply for a membership here are subjected to rigorous screening and an interview. None of that screening or vetting will be held for these chosen few. This is simply not right."

Another member said, "There is talk that the club has given in too easily, not put up enough of a fight against this, yet what option does a club have? A gun is put to the head, or lease renewal is made conditional. I am too distressed and cannot say more." An individual who got membership like many because previous generations were Willingdon members, stated, "Why is the life membership free? That is also bothering me. There are some Mumbai clubs that have offered government officials membership but it has been against a fee. The report about Willingdon speaks of free lifetime membership. This makes no sense at all." Most members drew parallels with the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC), Willingdon's neighbour across the road, which has been in the news. At least 120 acres of land on which the RWITC stands, is now with the state govt/BMC to be made into a public/theme park.

All the members mid-day reached out to refused to speak on record. "It has always been about the land," said yet another club member. "They have always eyed the land the Willingdon club has, especially the three holes of the golf course on the other side of Bodyguard Lane." To bring the club's topography in context, it has an 18-hole golf course, with 15 holes on one side and three holes on the other, bifurcated by this lane. "Either the club has had a weak spot in its negotiating team or it was told ‘Give membership or the lease will not be renewed'." Some members recalled years ago, a top political party leader sent his party worker to get a "membership form". "That man was simply sent back with no form. There were no overt or even covert ‘repercussions' for this," they said.