Zubeen Garg death probe gains political overtones ahead of Assam polls

By Nava Thakuria*

Public grief over the untimely death of Assam’s popular singer and cultural icon in Singapore has increasingly turned into a political issue. As protests and social media campaigns demanding justice continue, political parties across the spectrum are seeking to associate themselves with the case, with an eye on the forthcoming scheduled for early next year.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) recently announced plans to erect statues of Zubeen Garg and establish two music schools in his memory, along with another dedicated to . The party has also launched a “” (March for Justice) to push for a judicial inquiry into Garg’s death. The campaign began in on 22 October, where the BJP claimed participation of over 50,000 supporters. Senior leaders, including Assam BJP president , Union minister , and state ministers and , led the rally, demanding a transparent investigation. Similar programs have since been held across the state under the leadership of other ministers.

Meanwhile, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) has stated that it is investigating the case under the country’s . According to a communication forwarded by the in New Delhi, the SPF’s preliminary findings have ruled out foul play, and the final report may take at least three months to complete. The SPF also cautioned against spreading speculation or unverified information about the circumstances of Garg’s death.

In Assam, the digital campaign “JusticeForZubeenGarg” continues to gain traction, with nearly three million social media users calling for justice. The Assam government has constituted a special investigation team (SIT), which has made several arrests, and also appointed a judicial commission headed by of the to oversee the probe. A two-member police team led by SIT chief M. P. Gupta recently visited Singapore to collect relevant information from local authorities.

Chief Minister has assured that the charge sheet will be filed within three months. While Zubeen Garg’s autopsy was conducted at , a second post-mortem was performed at amid public suspicion of foul play. The Singapore death certificate recorded drowning as the cause of death, and subsequent forensic tests reportedly found no traces of poisoning. The chief minister also met with Singapore’s acting high commissioner Alice Cheng to seek cooperation in the ongoing investigation.

Opposition leaders have also become active. Congress leader visited Garg’s cremation site at Kamarkuchi and met his family members in , accompanied by Assam Congress president and assembly opposition leader . Gogoi later questioned the direction of the investigation, while Saikia wrote to Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong requesting a transparent inquiry. Regional party leaders and have demanded a national-level probe.

Adding another dimension to the debate, United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) chief commented that while many are now vocal about justice for Zubeen Garg, few had earlier expressed concern over the singer’s personal well-being. He urged people to respect the legal process in a case that occurred outside India’s jurisdiction.

As investigations continue both in Singapore and Assam, the call for justice for Zubeen Garg remains deeply emotional — but also increasingly intertwined with the state’s political and electoral landscape.

---

*Senior journalist based in Guwahati

Comments

From Kerala to Bangladesh: Lynching highlights deep social faultlines

By A Representative The recent incidents of mob lynching—one in Bangladesh involving a Hindu citizen and another in Kerala where a man was killed after being mistaken for a “Bangladeshi”—have sparked outrage and calls for accountability.

What Sister Nivedita understood about India that we have forgotten

By Harasankar Adhikari In the idea of a “Vikshit Bharat,” many real problems—hunger, poverty, ill health, unemployment, and joblessness—are increasingly overshadowed by the religious contest between Hindu and Muslim fundamentalisms. This contest is often sponsored and patronised by political parties across the spectrum, whether openly Hindutva-oriented, Islamist, partisan, or self-proclaimed secular.

When a city rebuilt forgets its builders: Migrant workers’ struggle for sanitation in Bhuj

Khasra Ground site By Aseem Mishra* Access to safe drinking water and sanitation is not a privilege—it is a fundamental human right. This principle has been unequivocally recognised by the United Nations and repeatedly affirmed by the Supreme Court of India as intrinsic to the right to life and dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution. Yet, for thousands of migrant workers living in Bhuj, this right remains elusive, exposing a troubling disconnect between constitutional guarantees, policy declarations, and lived reality.

Aravalli at the crossroads: Environment, democracy, and the crisis of justice

By Rajendra Singh* The functioning of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has undergone a troubling shift. Once mandated to safeguard forests and ecosystems, the Ministry now appears increasingly aligned with industrial interests. Its recent affidavit before the Supreme Court makes this drift unmistakably clear. An institution ostensibly created to protect the environment now seems to have strayed from that very purpose.

'Festive cheer fades': India’s housing market hits 17‑quarter slump, sales drop 16% in Q4 2025

By A Representative Housing sales across India’s nine major real estate markets fell to a 17‑quarter low in the October–December period of 2025, with overall absorption dropping 16% year‑on‑year to 98,019 units, according to NSE‑listed analytics firm PropEquity. This marks the weakest quarter since Q3 2021, despite the festive season that usually drives demand. On a sequential basis, sales slipped 2%, while new launches contracted by 4%.

'Structural sabotage': Concern over sector-limited job guarantee in new employment law

By A Representative The advocacy group Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA) has raised concerns over the passage of the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (VB–G RAM G), which was approved during the recently concluded session of Parliament amid protests by opposition members. The legislation is intended to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

Safety, pay and job security drive Urban Company gig workers’ protest in Gurugram

By A Representative Gig and platform service workers associated with Urban Company have stepped up their protest against what they describe as exploitative and unsafe working conditions, submitting a detailed Memorandum of Demands at the company’s Udyog Vihar office in Gurugram. The action is being seen as part of a wider and growing wave of dissatisfaction among gig workers across India, many of whom have resorted to demonstrations, app log-outs and strikes in recent months to press for fair pay, job security and basic labour protections.

India’s universities lag global standards, pushing students overseas: NITI Aayog study

By Rajiv Shah A new Government of India study, Internationalisation of Higher Education in India: Prospects, Potential, and Policy Recommendations , prepared by NITI Aayog , regrets that India’s lag in this sector is the direct result of “several systemic challenges such as inadequate infrastructure to provide quality education and deliver world-class research, weak industry–academia collaboration, and outdated curricula.”

The rise of the civilizational state: Prof. Pratap Bhanu Mehta warns of new authoritarianism

By A Representative Noted political theorist and public intellectual Professor Pratap Bhanu Mehta delivered a poignant reflection on the changing nature of the Indian state today, warning that the rise of a "civilizational state" poses a significant threat to the foundations of modern democracy and individual freedom. Delivering the Achyut Yagnik Memorial Lecture titled "The Idea of Civilization: Poison or Cure?" at the Ahmedabad Management Association, Mehta argued that India is currently witnessing a self-conscious political project that seeks to redefine the state not as a product of a modern constitution, but as an instrument of an ancient, authentic civilization.

Search This Blog