SOG will investigate golf course-polo club membership case, minister Kharra announced

Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha: The issue of giving membership of Rambagh Golf Course and Polo Club built in Central Park of Jaipur is echoing in the Assembly today. BJP MLA Kalicharan Saraf raised this issue through a calling attention motion. Saraf raised questions on the membership given to MLAs, UDH and JDA officials during the Congress government. UDH Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra announced in the House that SOG will investigate the matter.

MLA Saraf told in the House- The Secretary and Captain here are giving membership without informing the President and Vice President of the club. They are charging arbitrary fees. The MLA told- 19 lakh, 29 lakh, 50 lakh rupees are being taken from people. On what basis are they taking so much money. Saraf also raised questions on the activities (bar, restaurant) being conducted in the club premises.

The MLA told- When there was no MoU regarding the land. No rent is being paid to JDA. Despite this, how do they do new construction here. If we are not taking any lease or rent from them, then has the government or JDA given them permission to run bars and restaurants? The financial irregularities here should be exposed. The looting going on here should be exposed.

Minister Kharra announced to get the investigation done

UDH Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra said- Action will be taken to get the golf club operated on the lines of Delhi's golf club. Whatever irregularities have happened in this case. I announce to get it investigated by SOG.

Dhariwal said- You will not be able to do any harm

Former UDH Minister and MLA Shanti Dhariwal said- I myself want the government to get this matter investigated clearly. The way membership was given to UDH, JDA officers earlier, it should be investigated. But you listen to me. You will not be able to do any harm to both of them (golf club, polo club). Because those who are sitting in the government, they will not let you do anything.

Instead of removing encroachment, 4 IAS officers became golf course members

The officers who were supposed to take action in the case of encroachment on Rambagh Golf Course built in Jaipur's Central Park, became members of that golf club. In the last 5 years, 4 IAS officers were posted in JDA-UDH, but none of them took any action to remove the encroachment. The four IAS officers include Kunjilal Meena, T. Ravikant, Ravi Jain and Gaurav Goyal.

The government has neither allotted land to this golf course nor are they paying any rent for the government land. The government is not even getting any revenue from the income from the club. Considering it as encroachment, Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) itself ran a bulldozer in the golf course in February this year.

Who are the four IAS officers?

All the four IAS officers have always been on top postings in Rajasthan cadre. Two of these officers have also been posted in CMO during the tenure of different Chief Ministers. Three out of the four IAS officers have been working on the post of JDC one after the other. The encroachment done by the golf course during his tenure was demolished in February 2024 by running a bulldozer after the instructions of JDA Commissioner Manju Rajpal.

Who is the real owner of the land?

Rambagh Golf Course was established in 1944. Then this land used to belong to the former royal family of Jaipur. In the year 1973, the entire land of Central Park was acquired by the state government. The former royal family has also received compensation for this.

Rambagh Golf Course is within the Central Park. The land on which the golf course is running comes under the authority of Jaipur Development Authority. This land is not allotted to the golf course. Nor is this land given on rent to the golf course. The land is completely in the name of Jaipur Development Authority, a part of the state government.

The land is of the government, the earnings are in the club's account

JDA or the government is not getting any kind of revenue from the golf course. The money received from the people who become members of this club is used by the golf course administration.

The golf course, which is being run on government land, gives membership by charging a fee of lakhs of rupees. Despite this, the government is not getting a single penny from it. The golf course is using the government's land. On the contrary, JDA also bears a huge expenditure on maintenance.

Membership for common people is 25 lakhs, for officers it is 2.50 lakhs

The golf course built on government land has different fees for different categories. 15 lakh rupees have been taken from common people, 20 or 25 lakhs from some. This is decided by the golf course itself. Some people, including IAS officers, have been given special exemption.

When JDA removes encroachment on its own land, then JDC itself is the complainant against itself

In February-2024, JDA ran a bulldozer on the encroachment made on about two and a half thousand square feet in the Rambagh Golf Club premises. The order for that action was issued by JDC (JDA Commissioner).

When this notice was given to the golf course by JDA, then the Vice President of the golf course was also JDA Commissioner Manju Rajpal. Meaning, the head of a department gave notice to a club and removed the encroachment of which she herself was the Vice President.

There is no other such example in any government department in Rajasthan, where the officer IAS himself is a member or officer of any club or institution occupying the land of his own department.

Encroachment not removed despite notice

The Rambagh Golf Club administration had done illegal construction with the help of three halls and tin sheds on the land adjacent to the Gandhi Darshan Museum built in Central Park. This illegal construction was done gradually in the last 4-5 years. Along with this, service points were also prepared for car service.

On the information of illegal construction, JDA had issued a 7-day notice to the golf club administration. Despite the notice, the golf club administration did not remove the encroachment made on government land. In such a situation, on 10 February 2024, a squad of JDA reached the premises from the golf club. Where the construction made in about two and a half thousand square feet was demolished with the help of JCB-bulldozer.