Trump’s biz partner wants Jinnah House demolished

Hardly a week before the US offered to mediate between India and Pakistan, apparently to “de-escalate” tensions without waiting for “something to happen”, US President Donald Trump’s Indian business partner was already leading a campaign to raze down Jinnah’s Mumbai bungalow – something that could further affect relationship between the two neighbours and create a fresh diplomatic row.

Mangal Prabhat Lodha, a BJP MLA in Maharashtra, is also the founder of the Lodha group that collaborates for the Trump Tower Mumbai project. On March 27, he demanded in the Assembly that Jinnah House, the residence of Pakistan’s founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah in south Mumbai, be demolished and a cultural centre be built in its place.

Claiming that it cost the Public Works Department (PWD) “lakhs of rupees” for the upkeep and maintenance of the building located in Mumbai’s upscale Malabar Hill area, Lodha wanted the structure to be demolished. “The Jinnah residence in south Mumbai was the place from where the conspiracy of partition was hatched. It is a symbol of the partition,” he said.

Lodha said after the Parliament passed the Enemy Property Act, Jinnah House was the property of the Indian government. “Demolishing the property is the only option,” he said.

The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2016, which amends the Enemy Property Act, 1968, was passed by voice vote in the Lok Sabha on March 14, incorporating the amendments made by the Rajya Sabha earlier. As per the Act, successors of those who migrated to Pakistan and China during partition will have no claim over the properties left behind in India.

Dina Wadia, Jinnah’s only child and mother of business tycoon Nusli Wadia, had been waging a long battle in the courts over the ownership of the building.

But, the issue is bigger.

Pakistan has also been for decades seeking ownership of Jinnah House. It has repeatedly asked India to allow Pakistan to set up its consulate in the property. India hasn’t agreed to that proposal.

Reacting to Lodha’s demand, Pakistani newspaper The Express Tribune quoted Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson as saying that as the building was a property of Pakistan’s founding father, it should be handed over to Pakistan.

India, so far, has not reacted to the Pakistani statement. It is not clear either whether the Centre would consider Lodha’s suggestion. Given that the two neighbours in the last year have seen a new low in ties, such a move would only worsen things.

The Guardian says that demolishing Jinnah House would cause a major diplomatic row with Pakistan.

Departing from the Obama administration’s stand of India and Pakistan resolving their differences bilaterally, US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley had said on Monday that the Trump administration was “concerned about the relationship between India and Pakistan” and wanted to “find its place to be a part of that (de-escalating tensions)”. India has dismissed that suggestion. However, the US perhaps is waiting to jump in depending on what India decides on the Jinnah property.

With PTI inputs