Mumbai: Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha on Saturday demanded that South Court — informally referred to as Jinnah House — the Malabar Hill bungalow where Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah resided prior to Partition should be demolished, terming it; a ‘symbol of Partition.’
A cultural centre should be built in its place, Mr Lodha suggested in the Assembly. “Before Independence, a conspiracy was hatched to divide the country into three pieces in Jinnah House. As per the Enemy Property Act, it has become the government’s property,” he said.
“There is no other option but to demolish it. The Jinnah House has been looked after by public works department and lakhs of rupees are spent every year for maintenance,” Mr Lodha said.
Refusing to acknowledge the right of Jinnah’s daughter Dina Wadia to the property, the MLA said, “Jinnah divided India and his heir cannot claim any right to it. Instead, there should be a cultural centre showcasing Maharashtra’s glorious past.” Jinnah House is situated in Mr Lodha’s Malabar Hill constituency.
