Gogoi questions progress of Zubeen death probe, claims people doubt if govt wants to uncover truth

Guwahati, Oct 13 (PTI) Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi on Monday alleged that investigations into singer Zubeen Garg’s death in Singapore last month are not progressing the way it should have been.

Claiming that people have doubts if the government really wants to uncover the truth, Gogoi asserted that the citizens of Assam have only ''one demand today - Justice for Zubeen Garg''.

The Congress has started the '#Justice for Zubeen Garg' campaign with its leaders posting it on their social media handles.

Addressing a press conference in Tezpur, the Congress leader said that the versions of those who were not present at the time of the cultural icon's demise on September 19 are coming out, but ''not of the prime accused and North East India Festival organiser Shyam Kanu Mahanta or his role. People want to know why this is so." "It is nearly a month since Garg's death, but till now we do not know what caused his death. The government has brought allegations of murder, but we are ignorant about how it happened,'' the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha said.

Gogoi claimed that people have doubts about whether the government really wants the truth about Garg's death to come out or not.

''Zubeen da is in our soul. He had said that he has no religion, caste or community, and the people of Assam will follow his ideals,'' Gogoi said.

The BJP government has already started the politics of religion soon after his death to divert the attention of the public, he said.

''The public, however, has understood the truth this time and they know whose government has been in the state for the last ten years,'' he added.

The Congress has launched a campaign #Justice for Zubeen Garg with its MPs, MLAs and members posting it on their respective social media handles.

''We are with Zubeen Garg's family, fans, artist community and the public,'' the Jorhat MP said.

During the tenure of late Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, the campaign 'Raijor Podulit, Raijor Sarkar' (People's government at their doorsteps) was initiated to understand what the people wanted from the then Congress government in the state.

''We have announced the strategy 'Raijor Podulit, Raijor Congress' (Congress at people's doorsteps), an Initiative to know what people expect from the Congress in the state,'' Gogoi said.

Assembly elections are due in the state next year.

Gogoi said that during his two-day stay in Sonitpur district, ''we have realised that development has not taken place in the district in the manner it should have been.'' Education facilities in the district are still backward, but people are keen for higher education and want more colleges in the district along with more facilities in the university, he said.

Referring to the problems in Tezpur University following the death of the singer, Gogoi said that the students of the central institute raised their voice to ensure Justice for Zubeen, but the authorities adopted a "very unfortunate stand" in the matter.

Students of the university alleged that the vice-chancellor did not show proper respect to Garg after the singer's death.

''The Congress will request President Droupadi Murmu and Assam Governor Laxman Prasad Acharya to intervene in the matter and take necessary action in this regard. I will personally write to the Prime Minister apprising him of the situation in the University'' he said.

The Congress leader said that they have come to know about the grievances of the people following their campaign in Sonitpur as well as the other districts of the state.

''We are going to the people to understand their problems, seek their advice to redress their grievances if the Congress comes to power in the state,'' Gogoi said.

The BJP has now only one weapon to tackle the wrath of the public by indulging in 'Vote Chori' by deleting the names of genuine citizens from the electoral rolls, he alleged.

''The campaign is also aimed to ensure that the people are aware of the BJP design and how they should protect their right to vote'', Gogoi claimed. PTI DG NN