Illegal constructions galore at foreign correspondents’ club in Delhi
Illegal constructions galore at foreign journalists’ club in Delhi. Munish Gupta who carried these illegal constructions at the Club.
These constructions carried out 2 years ago when India was shut during Lockdown
New Delhi, April 27 (Delhi Crown): Journalists across the globe are expected to expose illegalities through their writings or TV media. They are also supposed to bring to light any wrong doing(s) in a society.
But, the Foreign Correspondents Club of South Asia (FCC of South Asia) is an exception when it comes to observing austerity and going by the rule book. It seems all civic rules and bye-laws were thrown to the wind while carrying out these illegal constructions at the Club two years ago.
The FCC of South Asia is located at “AB-19, Mathura Road, New Delhi”.
If one moves around the Club, that is meant for foreign journalists (though there are other categories of members too), one notices a large number of illegal constructions inside the Club’s premises.
Among the illegal constructions at the Club are three washrooms, one huge auditorium and several office cubicles.
Among the office-bearers of its Governing Committee are – Vice-President Emily Schmall (New York Times), Secretary Sebastien Farcis (France Radio), Treasurer Raghvendra Verma (Second German TV), Joint Secretary Ruth Pollard (Bloomberg).
Besides, Elizabeth Puranam (Al Jazeera), Tawqeer Hussain (Yomiuri Shimbun, Japanese newspaper), Kumkum Chadha (The Independent, Bangladeshi newspaper), Sajeen Miglani (Reuters) and Mohammad Aminul Islam (Bangladeshi newspaper), are the members of the Governing Committee.
Ironically, the Club is situated at a stone’s throw distance from the Supreme Court of India, which is the apex court to ensure that the law of the land is implemented and observed without any violations.
Also, it is situated next doors to Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s official residence.
Two years ago, when the whole of India was shut amid Lockdown due to outbreak of Covid-19, these illegal constructions were carried out at the behest of the then Secretary of the Club Munish Gupta, who now throws his weight around as president of the Club.
Munish Gupta, a non-journalist, has had a dubious background, as his immediate family members have been behind the bars on corruption charges in the past.
Amid the Lockdown (2 yrs. ago), Gupta ensured these illegal constructions in collusion with the then president S. Venkat Narayan.
It seems either the local authorities viz. the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and the Delhi Government have turned a blind eye to these illegal constructions, or are not aware at all.
Presently, when the civic authority – the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is undertaking demolitions of illegal constructions around the national capital, the concerned authorities should also take into account the illegal constructions at the FCC of South Asia, brazenly carried out by members of Fourth Pillar of Indian Democracy!
