New Delhi: Senior Nationalist Congress Party leader and Union Minister Praful Patel today lambasted a Maharashtra Congress leader who had demanded that the Bharat Ratna be withdrawn from singer Lata Mangeshkar, for publicly supporting BJP leader Narendra Modi for prime ministership.
"The mental condition of such a person must be checked", said Praful Patel.
"Lata Mangeshkar has got Bharat Ratna because of her achievements in the field of music, and she deserves the nation's respect. As an individual she may have her own views about politics, but that does not detract from her lifetime achievements", said Patel.
Lata Mangeshkar had said in Pune in the presence of Narendra Modi at a function, that she wanted to see Modi as prime minister.
Former BJP president Nitin Gadkari demanded that the Congress should tender apology over the comments of its Mumbai unit president.
Mumbai Congress president Janardan Chandurkar had stirred a row by demanding that the country's
highest civilian honours bestowed on those who praise"communal forces" should be withdrawn.
Though he did not name melody queen Lata Mangeshkar, it is apparent that remarks were aimed at her, as the singer had
recently said she wanted to see Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi become the Prime Minister.
"All awards and honours bestowed on those who are praising communal forces should be withdrawn," Chandurkar said
at a function here.
However, the Congress leader has clarified that he had not named anyone.
"My allegation was not against any individual, but about this tendency (to support communal forces). In our country,
the awards are given...the society looks up to these people as an ideal and love these people."
