Musician Hridaynath Mangeshkar, late Lata Mangeshkar's brother, has said that the demand for a memorial for the legendary singer at Mumbai's Shivaji Park hasn't been shared by the family, as per a report by NDTV.
"Please stop politicising the issue of Lata didi's memorial at Shivaji Park. The demand hasn't come from the family's side", Mangeshkar told the publication.
The demand for a memorial for Mangeshkar, who passed away on 6 February, has led to a friction between the ruling Shiv Sena-Congress combine in Maharashtra and the opposition BJP.
BJP MLA Ram Kadam had written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray asking that a memorial be set up at Shivaji Park, where Lata Mangeshkar was cremated. The demand was initially backed by Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole, who later softened his stance.
This demand put the Shiv Sena in dilemma, as Bal Thackeray hosted the annual Dussehra rally at the park. Uddhav Thackeray has also followed this tradition.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Sandeep Deshpande took to Twitter to request that politics not be played over this issue. "The Dadar residents have fought long and hard to protect the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park from encroachments. I request everyone not to sacrifice Shivaji Park for their petty party politics", he wrote.
The Maharashtra government has decided to set up a music academy in Mumbai as a tribute to Lata Mangeshkar.
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