Gaurav questions PM’s ‘silence’ on Zubeen during Assam visit

Guwahati, Dec 21 (PTI) Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi on Sunday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'silence' on Zubeen Garg during his two-day visit to the state.

Accusing Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of advising Modi not to mention Garg, Gogoi in a Facebook post alleged that the PM attended several programmes and addressed the people of Assam for the past two days but did not utter a single word about the singer.

Garg had died while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19, with a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of state police’s CID probing the death and submitting its chargesheet before the court earlier this month.

It has charged four persons, festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, singer’s secretary Siddhartha Sharma and his two band members Shekharjyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta, with murder, and a fifth one, the singer’s cousin and suspended police office Sandipan Garg, with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

The singer's two personal security officers (PSOs) -- Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya -- have been charged with criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust by misappropriating funds or property entrusted to them.

As Modi winded up his tour of the state where Assembly elections are due early next year, Gogoi questioned the PM's silence over Garg during his two public rallies and other engagements.

"The PM has attended several programmes and addressed the people of Assam for the past two days during his current visit to the state. But unfortunately, he did not utter a single word about Assam’s heartthrob late Zubeen Garg,” the Congress leader said in the post.

Gogoi said that the prime minister ‘could not find time’ to meet Garg’s family or visit his cremation ground.

Terming it ‘unfortunate and saddening’, he added, "Zubeen da has a special place in the hearts of the Assamese people, and ignoring him is an insult not just to the late artiste but to the entire people of Assam." He condemned such 'indifference and neglect' by the prime minister.

"We want to ask, who advised the prime minister to not mention Garg’s name? Who had prepared his speeches? Or, did the Assam chief minister advise the PM not to take Zubeen Garg’s name?” he questioned.

Gogoi mentioned that Congress leader and the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had paid his tribute at Garg’s cremation ground and also visited his family, raising demand of justice for the late singer-composer.

Gandhi had visited the bereaved family and Garg’s cremation grounds on October 17.

Congress’ parliamentary party leader Sonia Gandhi had also conveyed her condolences to Garg’s widow through a letter, Gogoi added.

"We, the people of Assam, demand justice for Zubeen da and the country’s highest civilian award ‘Bharat Ratna’ for him. Such neglect and indifference are not acceptable to us," the Congress leader affirmed. PTI SSG SSG MNB