Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday strongly criticized the “absurd statements” of several opposition leaders regarding the investigation into the murder of singer Zubeen Garg. In a post on X, Sarma wrote, “Listening to the absurd statements of the opposition in Assam, it seems as if they are actually defending the killers of Zubeen Garg for political gain. They have their eyes set on something else, and their targets are elsewhere.”
While speaking in the Assembly on the status of the investigation, Sarma was repeatedly interrupted by opposition members—most notably by Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi, a former farmer leader associated with the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS). Gogoi questioned the government on several aspects of the investigation, including the issuance of a Letter Rogatory (LoR).
Responding sharply, Sarma said, “Even though we have already provided the case materials to Siddharth Sarma and Shyamkanu Mahanta, the opposition is still asking why the LoR hasn’t been issued. These arguments sound like those of defense lawyers in court. Yet, the Assam Bar Association has already decided that no lawyer will defend any of the accused in the Zubeen Garg case. Yet, Akhil Gogoi is now acting as a defense lawyer inside the Assembly.”
Sarma further alleged that some opposition leaders are trying to gain political mileage by interfering in the case. Interestingly, he added that many of them “can’t even recite a few lines from Zubeen Garg’s songs,” which shows they have little understanding of what Zubeen means to Assam.
Drawing inspiration from one of Zubeen Garg’s most popular songs, written during the anti-CAA protests, Sarma reminded the opposition of the singer’s message: “Friends, don’t do politics… All ministers and MLAs are like papads—they look edible, but they’re just making noise.”
Sarma said that Zubeen probably had leaders like Akhil Gogoi in mind when he wrote these songs, and he appealed to the opposition not to politicize the ongoing investigation.
