STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president Lurinjyoti Gogoi, along with a party delegation, visited the memorial site of singer Zubeen Garg on Saturday and paid tribute to the late artiste on his first death anniversary.
Speaking from the site, Gogoi raised several questions concerning the circumstances surrounding Garg's death and demanded that the Assam government provide answers to the people of the state. Gogoi questioned why the Assam government had not officially declared September 19 as 'Zubeen Day', despite what he described as strong public sentiment in favour of such a recognition.
"Where is the difficulty for the Chief Minister in officially declaring September 19 as Zubeen Day? Why is the government ignoring the strong public demand?" Gogoi asked. Referring to a statement made by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on the floor of the Assam Legislative Assembly, Gogoi said the Chief Minister had stated that one person had assaulted Zubeen Garg while several others had assisted in the incident. "We are asking the Chief Minister-who was that one person? And who were the others? The Chief Minister must answer these questions to the people of Assam," Gogoi said.
He reiterated the AJP's demand for justice in connection with Zubeen Garg's death, saying that the demand for justice would continue. Gogoi also criticised the state government and the Education Department for not issuing any official notification asking government schools or teachers to observe Zubeen Day. "Government teachers are required to be deployed everywhere, but on a day when people across Assam are observing Zubeen Day, the Education Department did not even issue a notification asking teachers to light a lamp or offer a flower in tribute to Zubeen Garg," he said. Gogoi alleged that no official programme had been organised by the government to commemorate the singer and described what he termed the government's lack of recognition as "extremely unfortunate."