Lata Mangeshkar’s brother was sacked from AIR for reciting poem on Savarkar: Modi hits out at Congress

“I am revealing the history of those who talk about individual freedom. Lata Mangeshkar’s family was from Goa. But the country must know how the Congress behaved with her family. Her younger brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar was sacked from his job at All India Radio. His fault was that he had presented a poem on patriotism by Veer Savarkar,” Modi said in the House.

“This is your freedom of expression,” he said. “During Congress government, there were several injustices — not just against Hridaynath ji, the list is quite long,” the PM added.

“Majrooh Sultanpuri and Professor Dharampal were both jailed for criticising Nehru. Kishore Kumar did not bow to Indira Gandhi during Emergency and he was banned from singing on the radio. We know how freedom of expression is curbed when people don’t agree to one family,” Modi said.

Lata Mangeshkar, a legendary singer, passed away on February 6 at 92 years of age at Mumbai’s Breach Candy hospital following post-Covid complications. She was cremated with full state honours in the presence of her family, PM Modi, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, and thousands of Mumbai residents who thronged Shivaji Park to pay their last respects.