Guwahati: After paying floral tribute to the late singer Zubeen Garg at his Samadhi Khetra in Sonapur, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi addressed the media, describing the Assamese music icon as “Kanchenjunga” which is a symbol of towering integrity, beauty and strength.
Reflecting on the metaphor, Gandhi said, “When I was 17 years old, I went for a mountaineering course in Sikkim. Every day, during training, I would see Kanchenjunga. What I like about Kanchenjunga is that it is honest, transparent, unshakeable, and beautiful. Today, when I was coming here, Gaurav told me that Zubeen Ji once said he was Kanchenjunga and immediately, it connected to me that he truly had those qualities.”
Gandhi spoke warmly about his visit to Zubeen’s home, noting the late artist’s rare combination of fame and humility. “You can see the worth of a person in their house. I just came from Zubeen Ji’s home where I saw that he had wealth, he had success, and he had humility. Assam should be extremely proud of him,” he said.
He also expressed gratitude to Zubeen’s family, especially his father, for nurturing such a powerful voice for Assam and the nation. “Zubeen Ji was a voice for a wonderful state, and we all thank him and the entire family. He not only did for Assam but for the whole country,” Gandhi added.
Calling Zubeen’s death a “tragedy for the entire state,” Rahul Gandhi said he had spoken to the family, who conveyed one simple wish - “We lost our Zubeen. Now we only want the truth.”