Mumbai: Gymkhana cancels Jemimah Rodrigues’s membership over father’s ‘religious activities’

Leading Indian cricketer Jemimah Rodrigues’s Khar Gymkhana membership has been cancelled, reportedly over her father’s “misuse” of the prestigious club’s premises for “religious activities”.

The decision was reportedly taken unanimously at the annual general meeting (AGM) of the club — one of Mumbai’s oldest — after several members complained about Ivan Rodrigues’s activities.

Some reportedly even claimed that Ivan had organised conversion events by booking the presidential hall at concessional rates using his daughter’s membership.

Also read: Hindus in India to become minority if conversions go on: Allahabad HC

Hall booked 35 times in 1.5 years

Jemimah had been given an honorary three-year membership by the club, its president Vivek Devnani told The Indian Express.

The club’s managing committee member Shiv Malhotra told news agency ANI that Ivan had booked the hall 35 times in one and a half years to organise such events. He explained that Article 4 of the club’s bylaws prohibit such activities within its premises.

Malhotra told The Indian Express that Ivan was attached to an organisation called Brother Manuel Ministries. He also claimed that they figured out “conversions” were happening “right under [their] noses”.

Also read: Karnataka: FIR against Hindu outfit members for threatening nurses over ‘conversion’

Trance music, dancing

According to him, the events organised by Ivan involved “dancing, expensive musical equipment, [and] big screens”.

Former president of the gymkhana, Nitin Gadekar, told the newspaper that he, Malhotra, and some other members had seen that trance music played in the dimly lit hall as a woman said “He is coming to save us”.

About Jemimah, Malhotra told ANI that she was the country’s pride and they wished her well. He explained that her father had “misused” her membership, which was an issue.