CM claims Zubeen was murdered but did not reveal mastermind's name: Gaurav Gogoi

Guwahati, Nov 25 (PTI) Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaurav Gogoi on Tuesday said that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has claimed in the assembly that cultural icon Zubeen Garg was ''murdered'' but he did not reveal who the real ''mastermind'' was.

The CM said that Garg's death was ''plain and simple murder'' with one person committing the act and the others helping him, and they have been booked in the case.

"The names of Zubeen Garg's killer were mentioned in the Assembly today, but who was directing them?'', Gogoi said after a meeting with party workers in Biswanath Chariali.

''The real mastermind's name has still not been revealed to the public," he added.

People in Assam's villages have "lost faith" in the chief minister, and they know that he will "not ensure justice" for Zubeen Garg, the Congress leader alleged.

''The chief minister also knows that people do not trust him and so he is using various tactics to create confusion among the public'', Gogoi added.

He (Sarma) is not satisfied with "dividing" the state alone but is now "attempting to divide" even the people who came together following the death of the singer, but the ''people of Assam will not allow this to happen'', the Deputy Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha claimed.

Regarding Sarma's allegation about his alleged "Pakistan link", Gogoi said that the chief minister has "completely failed" on all fronts and has become a ''laughing stock''.

He (Sarma) had promised to release the SIT report probing into his alleged links with Pakistan spy agency ISI on September 10, ''at a time when Zubeen-da was still alive'', Gogoi said.

''He could not do it then, and he cannot do it now. Even members of his own party feel embarrassed by these misleading statements. Leaders in Delhi now laugh when they hear Himanta Biswa Sarma speak, and even people and journalists laugh at him'', Gogoi said.

Sarma has been attacking Gogoi and his British wife, Elizabeth Colburn, over the last few months, alleging that they have connection with the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI.

A SIT was constituted in February to probe into the links and its report was submitted to Sarma on September 10.

The CM had earlier said that the cabinet will discuss the report before revealing the contents for the public but later claimed that the months of October and November have been full of sorrow and pain for the people of Assam following the death of cultural icon Zubeen Garg and ''so I am not taking any step on this issue as it is not a good time for politics''. PTI DG DG RG