MLA gives defence minister memorandum
BJP MLA Mangalprabhat Lodha on Tuesday gave a memorandum to defence minister Manohar Parrikar demanding the Jinnah House to build the “Shahid Smarak” in Mumbai. Mr Lodha has proposed that one of the Pakistani tanks confiscated by the Indian Forces in 1965 should be stationed at the war memorial as the symbol of the bravery of Indian defence. Another option he has given is to bring in a T55 tank, which played a major role in the 1971 Bangladesh war, at the memorial.
Mr Lodha said that he has been following up on the proposal to set up the war memorial in Mumbai for the last three years with the Maharashtra government. “In this year’s budget, finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar has made a provision of '5 crore for the war memorial and the state government has given a proposal to the BMC to set it up at Birla Kridas Kendra, Charni Road. But, the BMC has not taken any decision on it so far because of which the process of setting up the war memorial has not even started yet. Therefore, I have urged Mr Parrikar to consider making Jinnah House available for the memorial,” he said.
The BJP MLA from Malabar Hill further said that if the Jinnah House is converted into a war memorial-cum-museum, it would be great for the future Indian generations and help put the property to good use. “I am also going to request the state government to pursue the demand with the Centre,” he said.
Pakistan founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah built Jinnah House in 1936 on a 2.5-acre land. It is an ‘enemy property’ — the term used for properties in India owned by Pakistani nationals. The house is currently embroiled in a legal battle with Jinnah’s daughter Dina Jinnah claiming ownership.
However, the President Pranab Mukherjee last week signed an ordinance amending the Enemy Property Act, 1968 by which the all enemy property vested in the ‘custodian’ of enemy property would continue to vest in the custodian irrespective of the death or extinction of the enemy. The property cannot be transferred from the custodian. This also means that the Indian heirs lose their right to the enemy estate. The government will have to get the ordinance approved by the Parliament within six month to make it a permanent law.
