Bangalore: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday offered to hold a grand funeral of the legendary singer in Kolkata, but Manna Dey's daughter and other relatives ignored the offer.
Mamata's representative and Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee reached the home of the music maestro to pay tributes to the singer.
Manna Dey had made his home in Bangalore for the last two decades. Kalyan Banerjee tried to convince Dey's daughter to allow his cremation in Kolkata.
Sources said, the singer's family members ignored the chief minister's proposal and continued with the rituals. The cremation was held at Hebbal crematorium in Bangalore.
Manna Dey's daughter Sumita said, she declined to talk to Mamata Banerjee on this issue.
The family members said, Mamata Banerjee's government did not help them during the signer's five month stay in hospital.
Sumita Deb said, when the singer's nephew cheated the singer by withdrawing money from his joint account, the family had pleaded to West Bengal CM and the Kolkata police commissioner for help, but there was no response from government's side.
Sumita added that the family hadn't exactly rejected the proposal for carrying the funeral in Kolkata but had to continue with the last ceremonies here in Bangalore itself as everything was already arranged.
"He was a simple man with great ideals, and would have preferred it this way”, she added.
Initially it was reported that the family took the decision in deference to Dey's last wish that his last rites be performed at the Hebbal crematorium where his wife was also cremated.
But after the cremation, Sumita exploded before the media, accusing her of not cooperating with the family during a police case related to fraudulent withdrawals from Dey's account.
"And in such a scenario when she (Banerjee) has not come forward, or not even shown any condolence, or any feeling for a family which is going through such rough times.. then how do I treat this? Just she wants the body to go to Kolkata when I had already arranged all the rites over here?"
Banerjee, however, denied his government has failed to show proper respect to Dey.
Manna Dey's family said that his nephew had withdrawn Rs 12 lakh from the joint account he shared with his uncle, jewellery and a watch valued at Rs 15 lakh from a locker. He even drew money from the funds which were allotted for his treatment.
"Mamata Banerjee didn't come forward to show any concern for the family which was going through a tough time in the five months and 10 days when he was undergoing treatment," Sumita said.
The chief minister said Dey does not belong to one particular family.
"He belongs to the entire human family, to the entire music world. I talked to her thrice, her husband also. When I had met Dey in Bangalore this year, I had even offered him the ground floor of my house if he agreed to come to Kolkata, I told him he can stay, as my mother has passed away".
"I am sorry, anybody can blame me, but I cannot blame anyone," she added.
