India’s government orders handover of exclusive Delhi Gymkhana Club

The Indian government has ordered one of the country’s most exclusive private clubs to vacate its premises in two weeks, underscoring the long-running push of the prime minister, Narendra Modi, against entrenched elite institutions.

The ministry of housing and urban affairs directed the Delhi Gymkhana Club to hand over its sprawling site in the heart of New Delhi by 5 June, citing urgent public interest requirements, including defence and security infrastructure.

Founded under British colonial rule in 1913 as the Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club, the institution has long been synonymous with the rich and famous.

Once restricted to colonial elites under discriminatory entry rules that barred Indians, it later evolved into a powerful networking hub for politicians, senior bureaucrats, judges and business figures after independence in 1947.

The ministry said the land, adjacent to the prime minister’s residence, was “critically required for strengthening and securing of defence infrastructure and other vital public security purposes”, the Press Trust of India news agency reported, citing a government letter to the club’s secretary.

The move comes against the backdrop of a broader political shift since Modi first took office in 2014, positioning himself as a challenger to India’s traditional elites, including those associated with the opposition Congress party led by the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty.

Analysts say the prominence of spaces such as the Delhi Gymkhana Club have been eroded under Modi’s populist politics.

The Hindu-nationalist leader has sought to eliminate remnants of India’s colonial past by reshaping several key British-era relics with his own mega projects.

The club, which includes buildings close to 100 years old, remains one of the most sought after memberships in the capital, with long waiting lists and a reputation as a hub of influence.

However, it has also been dogged by internal disputes and allegations of financial mismanagement in recent years.

Figures linked to Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata party have repeatedly accused its leadership of factionalism and poor governance.