Agra BJP Mayor Laughs After Calling Asha Bhosle 'Ghosle', Asks If She Was A Singer; Video Goes Viral

Agra mayor Hemlata Diwakar Kushwah has come under scrutiny after a video of her paying tribute to legendary singer Asha Bhosle went viral on social media. The veteran singer passed away on Sunday (April 12) at the age of 92 at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai due to multiple-organ failure. Her demise has left the music industry mourning the loss of one of its most iconic voices.

Amid this, a clip of the BJP mayor addressing the media sparked controversy online. In the video, Hemlata is seen asking people standing beside her if Asha Bhosle was a singer. After receiving confirmation, she laughs and admits she was not completely sure.

While offering condolences, she also mispronounced the singer’s name twice, referring to her as “Asha Ghosle.” She went on to say that the country had suffered a huge loss in the field of music and paid tribute on behalf of Agra and the BJP.

According to a report in Bhaskar, the incident took place at the BJP’s Braj Province office in Agra during an awareness campaign on the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, where several party leaders and women members were present.

Hemlata addressed the media after Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister Baby Rani Maurya, who was expected to attend the event, could not make it. During the interaction, a journalist asked her about Asha Bhosle’s death, prompting the response that has now gone viral.

The video has since gone viral online, drawing criticism and trolling from several users, with many questioning the mayor’s remarks and others posting sarcastic reactions.

Hemlata Diwakar Kushwah is a prominent BJP leader in Agra. She contested the 2012 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections as a Samajwadi Party candidate but lost, before joining the BJP in 2016. She later served as MLA from Agra Rural between 2017 and 2022 and went on to win the mayoral election in 2023 by a margin of over 1.08 lakh votes.

Asha Bhosle's death

The singer passed away on Sunday, a day after she was hospitalised after chest infection. Her demise was confirmed by his son Anand Bhosle.

The funeral will take place on Monday (April 13). People can pay their last respects from 11 am at her residence, Casa Grande in Lower Parel, where she lived. Her last rites will be performed at 4 pm at Shivaji Park.