Shree Mehdi Hasan & the Politics of a Bounced Cheque

Indian Government should help this renowned Gazal Singer in times of crisis (like it did in case of Pt. Bismillah Khan), who once enthralled the Indian Audiences with famous songs like, Ranjish he sahi, Rafta Rafta Woh Meri, GULON MEIN RANG BHAREY, etc.

A few weeks back the much acclaimed ghazal singer Mehdi Hasan fell critically ill and was admitted to Agha Khan Hospital for extensive treatment. Many people shared their passion for this gazal maestro to an extent that a few government dignitaries offered financial assistance to the ailing singer.

It is being reported that the President Asif Zardari and the chief minister of Sindh have provided Rs1 million and Rs.250,000, respectively, for the treatment, while a cheque for Rs.500,000 that was received from the Punjab government after the then chief minister Shahbaz Sharif visited Mr. Hasan at the hospital could not be cashed due to the imposition of the governor’s rule in the province. In the aftermath of these events, the bounced cheque did go through but during the time being Mehdi Hassan’s son was told to meet with the governor of Punjab [Salman Taseer] to ‘sort out the matter’.

Arif Hasan, one of the sons of Ghazal Hasan said ‘My family, which has exhausted even its ‘rainy day securities’, is now badly failing to foot the treatment bills, we still have to pay an amount to the tune of about half a million rupees to the hospital on account of accommodation and treatment” that is in addition to meeting other expenditures incurred on Khan Sahib and his family.

Note: Please click on the name of songs given at the top, to see Panditji perform, on Youtube.