How was Zubeen Garg 'Murdered' During Government-Sponsored Event, Asks MP Gaurav Gogoi
New Delhi: Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Wednesday (December 3) raised a question in the Lok Sabha over the death of singer-composer Zubeen Garg, asking how the artist could be "murdered" in Singapore "during a programme organised by the government of India". Gogoi also called for the posthumous conferment of the Bharat Ratna on Garg and demanded justice for his death.
Speaking during Zero Hour, the Jorhat MP referred to Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s statement that Garg’s death was a murder.
“I stand in parliament to pay tribute to one of the greatest sons of Assam, the late Zubeen 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 and the High Commission of India to Singapore,” Gogoi said.
He added: “The people of Assam miss him. We want justice for him. The government of Assam says it was a murder. Then we want to know how during a programme organised by the government of India was a murder committed on foreign soil?”
Also read: The Dawn He Never Saw: Zubeen Garg's Last Film 'Roi Roi Binale' Becomes a Farewell Movement
Garg died on September 19 during a yacht trip in Singapore, a day before a scheduled live performance in the North East Festival, which is sponsored by several Union government ministries and also gets support from almost all the northeastern state governments.
Syamkanu Mahanta, the chief organiser of the festival has been arrested in connection with the death of the singer-composer. The Assam government has also banned Mahanta and his affiliated groups from holding any function or event in the state and receiving state support.
Last month, chief minister Sarma described the incident in the assembly as “plain and simple murder.” A special investigating team has been set up by the state government to probe the case.
“Zubeen was an artist, humanitarian, environmentalist, wildlife lover, and a voracious reader of books. During the 80s and 90s, he gave the people of Assam hope, and 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. Truly, Assam meant tea, oil, rhinoceros and Zubeen Garg. He showed us a vision of ‘Bor Asom’, that is, free from hate, fear, suspicion and mistrust. Zubeen will always be our Kanchenjunga. Today, the people of Assam miss him terribly,” Gogoi, who also serves as the Assam state Congress president, said.
He concluded: “We want justice for Zubeen Garg and we request the government of India to confer the highest civilian honour on the late Zubeen Garg.”
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