Khar Gymkhana cancels membership of Indian women cricket team’s batter Jemimah Rodrigues
News comes to the fore that Khar Gymkhana, one of Mumbai’s oldest clubs, has cancelled the membership of Indian women cricket team’s leading batter Jemimah Rodrigues.
As per Khar Gymkhana officials, the action was initiated following objections from some members of her father Ivan using the club premises for “religious activities” and alleged that events were organised to “convert” the “vulnerable”.
The decision to cancel her membership was taken at Sunday’s annual general body meeting here. Text messages and phone calls Monday to Jemimah Rodrigues and her father for comments remained unanswered.
Confirming the action, Khar Gymkhana president Vivek Devnani disclosed to the media that the honorary three-year membership given to Jemimah Rodrigues was revoked pursuant to a resolution passed by the members who attended the general meeting held on October 20, 2024.
Khar Gymkhana managing committee member Shiv Malhotra spelled out the reasons articulating that they came to know Jemimah Rodrigues’s father was attached to an organisation called Brother Manuel Ministries who booked the presidential hall for almost a year and a half and held 35 events. They are all aware what was happening there.
Malhotra further went on to add that he heard about conversions all over the country, but it’s happening right under their very nose. There was dancing, expensive music equipment, big screens. As per Khar Gymkhana’s bye-laws Rule 4A of the constitution, Khar Gymkhana does not permit any religious activity.
According to former Khar Gymkhana President Nitin Gadekar he was informed about the “religious activity” by a staff member and Malhotra and a few other members went to see it and they saw the room was dark, trance music was playing and a lady was saying ‘He is coming to save us’. Malhotra was surprised how Gymkhana can allow this in the first place. They protested and it was decided to cancel her membership.
Meanwhile, in 2023, Khar Gymkhana had invited Jemimah Rodrigues to be a member and use its facilities.
News Edit KV Raman
