40 days elapsed, still we don't know how Zubeen died: Gaurav Gogoi

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The political tussle over the investigation into the death of cultural icon Zubeen Garg has intensified, with Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president and MP Gaurav Gogoi launching a sharp attack on the Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Assam government on Wednesday.

Speaking at a joining programme in Guwahati, Gogoi alleged that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has failed to make any meaningful progress in over a month since the singer's death.

 "Over 40 days have passed, and we still don't know how Zubeen Garg died," Gogoi said, accusing the government of "targeting innocent people, intellectuals, artistes, and opposition leaders" under the guise of the probe.

He further alleged that the SIT was being "misused to harass activists and critics of the Chief Minister" instead of finding the truth behind the death of the beloved artiste.

Issuing a warning to the ruling BJP, Gogoi remarked, "After five months, their party will be out of power. They will have to live among the greater Assamese society, so they must be mindful of their actions today."

Calling the government's public expressions of sympathy "a hollow show", Gogoi said, "They shout 'Moiu Zubeen, Amiu Zubeen', but what the people get is selective justice. The powerful are protected while the truth is buried."

Gogoi also promised that if the Congress comes to power in 2026, the case will be reopened and a court-monitored investigation supervised from outside Assam will be initiated.

"No matter how influential the accused may be, justice will reach every person wronged under this government," he asserted.

Meanwhile, reacting to a controversy over a Congress leader allegedly singing the Bangladeshi national anthem during a party meeting, Gogoi defended the act, saying, "It is a song composed by Rabindranath Tagore and conveys the sentiments of Bengali culture. The BJP has always insulted the Bengali language, culture, and the people of Bengal. Their IT cell has repeatedly shown ignorance by not knowing the history of Tagore."

He added that Bengali-speaking people across India have realized that the BJP only uses them for votes while continuing to insult their heritage and identity.

Also read: Assam: Suspicion of Siddharth Sharma Siphoning Zubeen’s Fees