Want justice for Zubeen Garg: Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi in LS

New Delhi, Dec 3 (PTI) Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Wednesday sought justice for Zubeen Garg, the popular singer-composer from Assam who died in Singapore in September, leaving his fans distraught.

Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, Gogoi paid rich tributes to Garg, hailing him as a humanitarian who gave the people of Assam hope in the 1980s and 1990s, when he northeastern state was in the grip of insurgency.

Gogoi, the president of the Congress's Assam unit, also demanded that the government confer the country's highest civilian honour, Bharat Ratna, on Garg.

"Zubeen Garg was a legendary musician. He passed away in Singapore in September when he was due to perform at a function organised by the Ministry of External Affairs, GoI, and the High Commission of India to Singapore," he said.

Gogoi said Garg was an artist, humanitarian, environmentalist, wildlife enthusiast and a voracious reader.

"During the 80s and 90s, he gave the people of Assam hope. In recent years, he gave us moral courage and steel in our spine. He taught us how to overcome personal trauma and not be divided by religion and caste," the Congress leader said.

He said the Assam government has said Garg was killed.

"We want to know how, during a programme organised by the Government of India, a murder was committed on foreign soil," Gogoi said.

Garg died on September 19 when he was on a yacht trip with a group of people in Singapore, a day before he was to perform at a live concert.

"Today, the people of Assam miss him. We want justice for him," Gogoi, the Lok Sabha member from Jorhat, said. PTI SKU RC