Following the death of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar, a dispute has developed over the construction of a proper memorial in her honour. The Bharatiya Janata Party has sought a memorial at her funeral location in Mumbai's Shivaji Park, but the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena has objected. Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Lata Mangeshkar's brother, has now spoken out against the situation.
Lata Mangeshkar died last week after being taken to the Breach Candy Hospital after being diagnosed with Covid-19 and pneumonia.
She was cremated with full state honours at Shivaji Park in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and celebrities including Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, and Ranbir Kapoor, among others.
According to a report by NDTV, Hridaynath Mangeshkar has stated that the family does not 'wish' for a memorial to Lata Mangeshkar. "Please stop politicising the issue of Lata didi's memorial at Shivaji Park. The demand for it has not come from our family's side as we don't wish for it," Hridaynath was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, according to a Pinkvilla report, Hridaynath Mangeshkar stated that the family will finance a music school rather than a memorial in Lata Mangeshkar's honour. “Earlier, Aaditya Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray came up with a proposal to Lata Mangeshkar for a musical institute on her name and she gave a nod to it. We want that legacy to continue and her musical skills to be kept alive. If we want to celebrate her legacy we will support the music institute and not the memorial."
According to Uday Samant, Maharashtra's minister for Higher and Technical Education, the Maharashtra cabinet has agreed to dedicate an international music institution in Mumbai to Lata Mangeshkar. The proposed college would now be called as the Bharat Ratna Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar International Music College, according to Samant.
MNS secretary Sandeep Deshpande had earlier tweeted in Marathi, “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park has been saved from encroachment by the people of Dadar who have struggled many times to have an open playground. Don't sacrifice it for your politics.”
According to the Indian Express, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray received a letter from BJP MLA Ram Kadam, “to consider erecting a memorial for Lata Mangeshkar at Shivaji Park at the same spot where she was cremated.” Reacting to the same, cabinet minister Aaditya Thackeray said, “Any decision on a memorial will have to be considered after consultation with the Mangeshkar family. And, more importantly, it should be done in a way to match her high stature so as to do justice to Lata Mangeshkar.”
