Swarajyabhoomi Smarak Samiti wants Jinnah House for Tilak memorial

The iconic Jinnah House, which is already in the centre of a property dispute, now has yet another claimant. The Swarajyabhoomi Smarak Samiti has now demanded that the sea-facing palatial bungalow be given for the memorial of famous Indian freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak. Earlier, Jinnah’s only daughter Dina Wadia staked her claim on the Malabar Hill property. Dina, who lives in New York, has contended that she was the sole heir to her father’s property in 2010. However, Mohammed Rajabally Ebrahim, grand-nephew of Jinnah, has also claimed one-sixth share in the estate. Both had filed their pleas before the Bombay high court.

The Samiti is of the view that both Tilak and Jinnah shared a very cordial relationship and hence the former would be happy that his bungalow is being used for Tilak’s memorial. It has even written a letter to the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis making the demand. The Samiti members will try to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to pursue their demand, Prakash Silam, founder president of the Lokmanya Tilak Swarajyabhoomi Smarak Samiti told this newspaper on Wednesday.

“Tilak and Jinnah were very good friends. Jinnah even defended Tilak when he was charged with sedition in 1916 for some speeches made in Marathi. Both the leaders worked together for the reconciliation between the moderates and the extremists in the Congress,” Mr Silam said.

He further said both the leaders were the driving force behind the historic Lucknow Pact of 1916. Tilak and Jinnah were aware of the divide and rule policy of the then British government being used against Hindus and Muslims.

“Considering all this, if Jinnah’s bungalow was given for the cause of Tilak, we are certain he would have been happy. Hence we have asked the state government to make the bungalow available to the Samiti on lease on nominal charges,” Mr Silam said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in an affidavit filed before the high court has stated that the government had acquired Jinnah House in Mumbai as an evacuee property and hence all rights of the evacuee and others stand extinguished.

The then Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf during his visit to India had also suggested to the then Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee that Jinnah House should be given to Pakistan for turning it into a consulate.