Enemy’s Rs 1000 crore home in Mumbai, which was used to conspire against India, the plan to…, the house is in…

Mohammad Ali Jinnah, a significant figure behind India’s partition and the creation of Pakistan, remains etched in the memories of India. Jinnah House, located in Malabar Hill, South Mumbai, was the home of Pakistan’s founder, Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Originally called South Court, Jinnah built it in 1936 after returning from England. During this time, he also took full control of the Muslim League, which later pushed for the creation of Pakistan. Jinnah House features European-style architecture and was designed by Claude Batley, who previously led the Indian Institute of Architects. Skilled masons from Italy were specifically brought to India for its construction.

Enemy’s Rs 1000 crore home in Mumbai, which was used to conspire against India, the plan to…, the house is in…

It is believed that Jinnah constructed the grand bungalow at a steep cost of Rs 2,00,000. For context, in 1947, the year India gained independence, Re 1 held the same value as USD 1. The bungalow, spanning 2.5 acres, boasts a stunning sea-facing view. Its construction featured exquisite Italian marble and intricate walnut woodwork. However, many of its walls are now covered in moss. Jinnah House once served as the focal point of the Muslim League’s agitation for Pakistan, where its leaders strategized on countering the Congress and persuading the British that Muslims formed a distinct nation.

“The house, constructed for a sum of 2,00,000 rupees, was designed under the artistic direction of Claude Batley, a distinguished British architect. Batley belonged to a generation of architects who immigrated to India in the 1930s (Desai, Desai and Lang 2012, 126-137). Batley was renowned for his expertise in the Art Deco and Indo Deco styles, which are reflected in the architecture of the
Jinnah House and its majestic proportions that still overlook the Arabian sea today,” reads the official website of Municipal Corporation Greater Mumbai.

Media reports suggest that Jinnah lived in the house for ten years before moving to Karachi in 1947. It holds historical significance as the site where Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru held discussions on the creation of Pakistan.

Jinnah House was the venue for the pivotal talks between Mahatma Gandhi and Muhammad Ali Jinnah in September 1944, often described as a turning point in India’s partition. On August 15, 1946—exactly a year before Partition and Independence—Jinnah engaged in another round of discussions with prominent Congress leader Jawaharlal Nehru regarding the creation of Pakistan.

Following Partition, Jinnah relocated to Pakistan but hoped to return to Jinnah House in Mumbai for his final days. After Independence, Pandit Nehru was reluctant to label Jinnah House as enemy property. Reports suggest he considered either restoring it to Mohammad Ali Jinnah or leasing it to a European with Jinnah’s consent.

However, due to Jinnah’s sudden demise in 1948, Nehru was unable to make a final decision regarding Jinnah House. Ultimately, in 1949, Jinnah House was declared an evacuee property, and the Indian government took control of the building.

The British High Commission was allotted the Jinnah House, operating from there until 1981, when it relocated. After the British departure, Pakistan submitted a petition to the Indian government, requesting to use Jinnah House as its consulate.

According to a 2017 report by India Today, three years after the construction of Jinnah House, Mohammad Ali Jinnah wrote his will, designating his unmarried sister, Fatima Jinnah, as the sole heir to his properties, including the large bungalow. After Partition, Fatima Jinnah moved to Pakistan. In 1962, she received a certificate of succession from the Bombay High Court, which took place before the Enemy Property Act was introduced in 1968.