Jharkhand Minister Deepika Singh Pandey on Thursday defended the Congress party's demand for justice for late Assamese singer Zubeen Garg, saying it is the duty of the opposition — not a crime — while launching a broad attack on the BJP government ahead of the Assam Assembly elections.
Addressing the media at Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati, Pandey said Zubeen Garg "belongs to the people of Assam" and transcends politics, adding that calling the demand for justice a crime reflects a "conspiratorial mindset."
Also read: No Foul Play in Zubeen Garg Death: Singapore Police
Pandey said the deep emotional connection that people of Assam share with Zubeen Garg has cast a shadow over this year's Bihu celebrations — with his absence felt particularly strongly by youth and women across the state.
Reacting to recent remarks by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on the issue, she reiterated that delivering justice for Zubeen Garg is a firm Congress commitment. If voted to power, she said, the party would complete a thorough investigation and deliver justice within 100 days.
She called this the "fifth and emotional guarantee" of the Congress — describing it as distinct from the party's other policy pledges precisely because of its personal resonance with Assam's people.
Pandey walked through the Congress manifesto — unveiled earlier by Rahul Gandhi in Karbi Anglong — outlining what she called a "people's manifesto" built around five guarantees for different sections of society.
The first focuses on women, offering Rs 50,000 in financial assistance with no conditions attached, to help them start businesses independently. The second promises a monthly pension of Rs 1,250 for senior citizens, along with a dedicated welfare department. The third centres on healthcare, with a pledge to provide health insurance coverage of up to Rs 25 lakh per family — ensuring no household has to dip into personal savings for serious medical treatment. The fourth commits to issuing land pattas to 10 lakh indigenous people. And the fifth, as Pandey framed it, is justice for Zubeen Garg within 100 days.
Broadening her attack on the current BJP government, Pandey alleged that Assam is being run through "syndicate networks" while public grievances go unaddressed. She claimed that unemployment is pushing Assam's youth to migrate to other states and accused the government of favouring industrialists in land allocation decisions.
She further alleged large-scale corruption in the state's coal sector and claimed that forest lands are being handed over to private players. A Congress government, she said, would investigate all land allotments exceeding 10 bighas and ensure the rehabilitation of flood-affected families.
On the broader political contest, Pandey said the main fight in Assam will be between the Congress alliance and the BJP-led alliance, while acknowledging that other parties have every right to contest. She expressed growing confidence in the public support building behind APCC President Gaurav Gogoi and concluded by predicting that the Congress-led alliance would form the next government in Assam.
Senior party leaders including AICC National Coordinator Mahima Singh and APCC Media Coordinator Gopal Sharma were also present at the press conference.