New Delhi: The Wilson College Gymkhana in Mumbai is being changed to the Jain Gymkhana, even as the historical college is trying to retain its sports ground by knocking the doors of the judiciary. Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday (January 10) participated in a ceremony wherein the Jain International Organisation (JIO) rechristened the ground’s heritage-listed clubhouse, reported The Free Press Journal.At present, the Bombay High Court is hearing two petitions by the Protestant Christian community which have challenged the transfer of the land’s lease to JIO. Before the lease on the ground was transferred to JIO on March 16, 2024 by the Maharashtra government, the 1.02 lakh-square-foot playground was leased by the United Church of Northern India Trust Association (UCNITA) and managed by the John Wilson Education Society, which administers the college.However, after being accused of violating terms under the agreement, the college lost the lease and the District Collector subsequently took possession of the land on December 5, 2023.After the UCNITA challenged this development before the Maharashtra Revenue Tribunal Court it dismissed the appeal on March 11, 2024 and confirmed the order of the District Collector.Thereafter, UCNITAs, both of whom claimed to be the leaseholder, challenged the cancellation of the agreement in the Bombay high court, where the matter is being heard.Acharya Naypadmasagar Suri Maharaj, a prominent Jain spiritual leader announced the inauguration in a video and while thanking CM Fadnavis, he said that the city’s Jains now have their own sports club next to the Hindu, Islamic, Parsi, and Catholic gymkhanas.“The Chief Minister has given an incredible gift to the city’s 20 lakh Jains,” he said, also asking the Jain community to vote in large numbers in the municipal elections this week, reported The Free Press Journal.“When the matter was last heard, the court asked both the parties to maintain the status quo. Despite this direction from the court, the other party started cleaning the ground on January 7. We mentioned this matter before the court on January 8 and the court will hear the matter on January 14. As the Chief Minister was involved in the function, we could not do anything,” said Lal Bahadur Kamble, spokesperson for UCNITA.Advocate Rajan Jaykar, an alumnus who had filed an intervention application in the case, said that the ground can be cleaned without attracting allegations of contempt of court.A JIO spokesperson said that a board has been installed and the ground has been cleaned while no construction has been done.