MUMBAI: Lata Mangeshkar’s family is not in favor of a memorial to the legendary singer at Shivaji Park, In a statement, her brother and music director Pandit Hridayanath Mangeshkar said the family was opposed to any memorial on the ground.
Shivaji Park residents, who have voiced objection to a memorial coming up on the sprawling ground, will draw comfort from Hridayanath’s statement, said observers. They are planning to start a signature campaign to stall the move, it is learned.
The memorial issue has assumed political overtones, much to the discomfiture of the Mangeshkars. BJP has been vocal about a Lata memorial in the park, where she was cremated last Sunday.
BJP MLA Ram Kadam, who floated the idea, has written to NCP chief Sharad Pawar and CM Uddhav Thackeray in this connection, it is learned. Congress, too, is said to be amenable to the idea.
However, MNS and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) have opposed the proposal. Recently, MNS’ Sandip Deshpande urged civic authorities to ensure that the ground was not sacrificed for “petty party politics”. “Shivaji Park shouldn’t be turned into a cremation ground,” said VBA chief Prakash Ambedkar.
Maidan Bachao Samiti has been distributing pamphlets in the area about the issue. “There are hardly any open grounds where children can play and senior citizens can take a walk. There shouldn’t be any encroachment on the park,” said Eknath Mane, Samiti chief.
Many residents are miffed with parties for raking up a controversy in the name of the iconic singer.
Political analysts said BJP could well be tapping the Lata legend to take on Sena, with Shivaji Park as the political proscenium, ahead of BMC elections. Pandit Hridayanath, in his statement, urged ‘netas’ not to drag his sister into an unsavoury row.
Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik has requested allocation of Rs 5 crore for a state-of-the-art music academy and museum in Lata’s memory.
Shivaji Park residents, who have voiced objection to a memorial coming up on the sprawling ground, will draw comfort from Hridayanath’s statement, said observers. They are planning to start a signature campaign to stall the move, it is learned.
The memorial issue has assumed political overtones, much to the discomfiture of the Mangeshkars. BJP has been vocal about a Lata memorial in the park, where she was cremated last Sunday.
BJP MLA Ram Kadam, who floated the idea, has written to NCP chief Sharad Pawar and CM Uddhav Thackeray in this connection, it is learned. Congress, too, is said to be amenable to the idea.
However, MNS and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) have opposed the proposal. Recently, MNS’ Sandip Deshpande urged civic authorities to ensure that the ground was not sacrificed for “petty party politics”. “Shivaji Park shouldn’t be turned into a cremation ground,” said VBA chief Prakash Ambedkar.
Maidan Bachao Samiti has been distributing pamphlets in the area about the issue. “There are hardly any open grounds where children can play and senior citizens can take a walk. There shouldn’t be any encroachment on the park,” said Eknath Mane, Samiti chief.
Many residents are miffed with parties for raking up a controversy in the name of the iconic singer.
Political analysts said BJP could well be tapping the Lata legend to take on Sena, with Shivaji Park as the political proscenium, ahead of BMC elections. Pandit Hridayanath, in his statement, urged ‘netas’ not to drag his sister into an unsavoury row.
Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik has requested allocation of Rs 5 crore for a state-of-the-art music academy and museum in Lata’s memory.
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