Members of the Legislative Assembly and Council want honorary membership in all clubs in their area, but they are not willing to accept a dress code. These are recommendations of a House committee constituted to look into alleged irregularities in the functioning of various clubs, including the Bangalore Turf Club (BTF).
The interim report of the committee, headed by former MLA D Hemachandra Sagar, was tabled in the Assembly on Friday. The report said some clubs have become “dens of iniquity” for young people and also “a resting place for black money hoaders, foreign nationals and people who relish Western culture.
Some of the clubs visited by the House committee include Golf Club, Century Club, KSCA, BTF, Bowring Institute, Bangalore Club and Cosmopolitan Club in Mysore. “The dress code imposed by certain clubs on its members for entry into the premises are reminiscent of the colonial era”, the committee felt and suggested these be dropped.
It suggested the government set guidelines for club membership and fees. The report said some clubs enrolled people only from affluent sections. It suggested “elected representatives, including MLAs, MLCs and MPs, be given honorary membership by the clubs in their localities”.