Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has vehemently condemned attempts by certain groups to politicize the untimely death of beloved singer Zubeen Garg, accusing them of masquerading as devoted fans to incite unrest in the state. Addressing reporters on the sidelines of an official event in Nagaon on Wednesday, Sarma emphasized that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is mobilizing genuine admirers of the cultural icon to safeguard Assam from such manipulative tactics. Garg, the 52-year-old "Voice of Assam" renowned for his soul-stirring melodies in Assamese, Bengali, and Hindi, met a mysterious end on September 19, 2025, while swimming off Lazarus Island in Singapore. He was in the Southeast Asian city to headline the 4th North East India Festival when the incident occurred, initially ruled as drowning by local authorities.
However, widespread suspicions of foul play prompted a second post-mortem in Assam and the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by Special DGP Munna Prasad Gupta. To date, seven individuals—including Garg's manager Siddharth Sharma, festival organizer Shyamkanu Mahanta, band members Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amrit Prabha Mahanta, and even his cousin, DSP Sandipan Garg—have been arrested and remanded in custody under charges ranging from culpable homicide to murder. The probe, aided by Interpol and Singaporean cooperation via the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, continues to unravel potential conspiracies surrounding the scuba diving outing.
Sarma described Garg's passing as "the saddest news for Assamese society," lamenting how a vocal minority—many of whom, he claimed, had scant familiarity with the singer's vast repertoire of over 38,000 songs or his activism—now seeks to distort his legacy for political gain. "They never listened to a single Zubeen song during his lifetime, yet today they project his ideology in a twisted manner," the Chief Minister asserted. He drew parallels to the respectful tributes following the deaths of other Assamese luminaries like Bhupen Hazarika, Jyoti Prasad Agarwala, and Bishnu Prasad Rabha, insisting that all parties cherished Garg and that his name should remain above partisan squabbles.
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The CM singled out former critics who once lambasted Garg for his outspoken stances—such as his protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act—as the primary culprits behind this "impersonation." In response, the BJP has launched a 'Nyay Yatra' (Justice March) across the state, rallying authentic followers to demand judicial accountability and counter any brewing disturbances. The initiative, however, has drawn sharp online backlash, with detractors arguing it reeks of hypocrisy given the BJP's governance of Assam.
Garg's death triggered an outpouring of grief, uniting a religiously and linguistically diverse Assam in mourning. Cremated with full state honors on September 23 at Kamarkuchi village near Guwahati amid chants of "Joi Zubeen Da" and a 21-gun salute, his funeral saw thousands, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Ministers, pay homage. Tributes poured in globally, highlighting his role as a philanthropist, filmmaker, and bridge-builder across communities. Plans for memorials in Guwahati and Jorhat underscore his enduring impact.
As the SIT delves deeper—with Assam Police officers in Singapore aiding the inquiry—Sarma urged unity: "Let us honor Zubeen by letting justice prevail through the courts, not the streets." Yet, with arrests piling up and political temperatures rising, the shadow over Garg's legacy lingers, testing Assam's resolve to protect its cultural heart from exploitation.
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