Women’s Press Club’s lease “might” be renewed, but FCC of South Asia has no chance: Official

“FCC president Munish Gupta has ruined the Club in one year”: Ex-office bearer

Delhi Crown Team

New Delhi, July 25 (Delhi Crown): The Indian Women’s Press Corps (IWPC), or the women’s press club, located in the heart of Delhi “might” get renewal of its lease, but the Foreign Correspondents Club of South Asia (FCC of South Asia) has no chance as its Governing Committee has failed to make any representation with the Urban Development Ministry so far.

While the IWPC is located at “5 Windsor Place”, the FCC of South Asia is situated at “AB-19 Mathura Road”, right opposite to the Supreme Court of India.

Eviction Notices were served last month to both the journalists Clubs to vacate their respective premises by July 31. Six days are left for the deadline to lapse.

While the women journalists cared enough to get their Club’s lease extended as they moved a well-drafted representation, the FCC’s Governing Committee hasn’t yet taken the trouble of moving any appeal against the Eviction Notice.

According to a top-ranking official (IAS) at the Land and Development Office (L&DO) of the Union Ministry of Urban Development, the file moved by the IWPC containing a request for renewal of their lease is signed by a large number of women journos.

“The ministry is yet to take a decision on IWPC’s case,” said the official on Monday (July 25), and added that no such request has been put up by the FCC of South Asia yet.

“Well, I have not seen any request or representation put up by the FCC of South Asia so far against the Eviction Notice. The IWPC’s representation is very well in my knowledge and the file has been moved up in the Ministry, though the final decision is yet to be taken. But, in case of the FCC of South Asia I think they are comfortable with the Eviction Notice and wish to abide by it. We haven’t heard anything from them yet,” the official told www.thedelhicrown.com

English daily “The Times of India” had on Sunday carried a report titled “Centre might not extend allotment of bungalows to IWPC and FCC”. It said – “The Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry may not extend the allotment of bungalows to IWPC and the FCC of South Asia beyond July 31. There have been many instances when the government has given post facto approval to allotment and extension of allotment periods to allottees of government bungalows.”

“The bad luck of the FCC of South Asia is that it is unfortunately headed by a non-journalist named Munish Gupta. He has never been a journalist in his life, but mis-represented his case before former president S. Venkat Narayan and grabbed the Club’s membership 4-5 years ago in the Foreign Correspondent category. He has ruined the Club ever since (last year) he got himself installed as the Club’s president,” said a senior member of the Club who has been a Treasurer in the recent past.

On the condition of anonymity, the member added – “Munish Gupta doesn’t care an iota about the betterment of the Club. He cares the least even if the Club is shut down after July 31. All he has done is pocketed money from the Club while being a part of Managing Committees in the recent past. A large number of illegal constructions and renovations were discreetly carried out at the Club as Gupta’s behest during the year 2020 when the whole of India was shut during Lockdown-1. Objections have been raised at his conduct regarding financial irregularities in the past.”