Watch | 'Gymkhana Club Takeover Motivated By Government Greed And Lack of Democracy': Kapil Sibal
In a hard-hitting and unremitting interview with Karan Thapar for The Wire, former law and human resource development minister, Kapil Sibal, who is also one of the leading lawyers presenting the Gymkhana Club’s case in court, said the government is seeking to acquire the club, not on the grounds it has argued in its May 22 letter, but for three other reasons: "Bureaucratic greed, lack of democratic instincts and destruction of institutions”.
He said, “It has nothing to do with the alleged purpose they have given in their notice on May 22, 2026. The purpose is, I think, bureaucratic greed, lack of democratic instincts and destruction of institutions. These are the three reasons why they have done it. It has nothing to do with public purpose.”
He added, “The purpose is a malicious and intentional takeover of an institution which has been in existence since 1928 and serves a larger public purpose. It is part of the legacy and history of Delhi itself.”
Sibal told Thapar, who is a member of the Gymkhana Club, that the government doesn't "want any functioning of democratic institutions in this country. In any areas where the so-called 'elite' may not be in sync with the policies of this government, where people can exchange ideas which may lead to opinions antithetical to their point of view, they do not tolerate any form of democracy. They do not tolerate any institution they perceive to be inconsistent with their view of life in India.”
When asked if the Gymkhana Club has a right to exist, Sibal responded strongly in the affirmative. When probed about the validity of the club's present 27-acre premises on Safdarjung Road, Sibal said, “Absolutely because it’s a perpetual lease”. He strongly and forcefully argued that Section 4 of the lease, which the government is targeting, does not apply as it is an imperial clause, overtaken by India’s constitution of 1950.
Watch the full video to learn more about his view on the issue, including his reading of Section 4.
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