Lata Mangeshkar Shivaji park memorial controversy explained: here's what happened

Lata Mangeshkar breathed her last on February, 6. The veteran singer passed away at the age of 92 after suffering from pneumonia, battling covid and other age-related health issues. From political big wigs to the who's who of the entertainment industry, people gathered in large numbers to pay their tribute to the legend. Lata Ji's mortal remains were kept at Shivaji park for everyone to take the last glance and pay their last respect.

Why the controversy?

The proposed idea to build a memorial in the name of Lata Mangeshkar at Shivaji park has drawn ire of several parties. Maharashtra's ruling Shiv Sena has gone into an altercation over the proposed memorial for Lata Mangeshkar. As per a NDTV report, BJP MLA Ram Kadam has requested the memorial to be built at Shivaji park. The demand was reportedly supported by Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole. The Thackeray family, on the other hand, has an emotional connect with Shivaji park.

Who wants what?

Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray used to host annual Dussehra at the park and the tradition has been continuing ever since. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Sandeep Deshpande has urged everyone not to "sacrifice" the land at Shivaji park over "petty politics". Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar too is not in favour of this.

The Maharashtra government is most likely to set up an international music academy in the memory and name of the Bharat Ratna awardee. The estimated expense to build the academy would be ₹ 1,200 crore. Amid all this, Lata Mangeshkar's brother, Hridaynath has revealed that the family has never demanded any memorial for Lata.

Hridaynath Mangeshkar spills the beans

"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," he was quoted telling a leading channel. "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," he reportedly told Pinkvilla.