Asha Bhosle has not done enough for Goa: BJP lawmaker

A BJP legislator Tuesday launched a scathing attack on legendary singer Asha Bhosle for not giving enough to Goa and indulging in double-speak.

Vishnu Wagh, who is also the chairman of the state-run Kala Academy, was speaking at a cultural festival on the outskirts of the capital, when he took on Bhosle, whose family originally hails from the Mangueshi village, 25 km from here.

"When she is in Maharashtra, she says I am not a Goan. I have nothing to do with Goa," Wagh said, two weeks after Bhosle, one of India's most-loved singer, performed at the Kala Academy. The show was marked by chaos, with guests accusing both the organisers as well as Kala Academy for faulty management.

Bhosle, part of the famous Mangeshkar clan, which includes her father Dinanath and siblings, the iconic lata Mangeshkar and brother Hrishikesh among others, trace their origin to Mangueshi, where their ancestors were temple singers. Dinanath, however, was forced to leave Goa in search of livelihood and made it big as a musician and singer in Maharashtra. 

The relation between Goa and the Mangeshkars strained further after the eldest sibling lata Mangeshkar was not allowed to perform a rite by the temple management, which cited caste concerns. Wagh claimed that Bhosle never contributed to Goa and she didn't need to, at the age of 80.

"She says she is starting a music school in Goa now. She is 80 (years old). How long will it lastIJ Why didn't she do it 20 years ago," said Wagh, who is also a poet and writer himself. "She has earned a lot of money singing in the film industry. But when she was 60 or 70...why didn't she do anything for GoaIJ" Wagh asked.