Zubeen Garg deserves justice: Rahul Gandhi after meeting singer's family in Assam

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday met the family of late Assamese singer and cultural icon Zubeen Garg at their residence in Assam's Kamrup, extending condolences and calling for a transparent investigation into the mysterious circumstances surrounding the singer’s death in Singapore on September 19. He likened the celebrated singer to the Kangchenjunga – the third-highest mountain in the world - as someone "honest, transparent, unshakable and beautiful".

Zubeen Garg, 52, one of Assam’s most celebrated musicians, died in Singapore reportedly following a scuba diving accident. His death sent shockwaves across the state, where he was revered as a cultural institution. Garg’s body was brought back to Assam and cremated with full state honours on September 23, drawing thousands of grieving fans to his funeral.

What appeared to be an accident initially, soon turned into a possible case of a suspected murder after his wife Garima and thousands of fans demanded a probe, alleging foul play.

Addressing reporters after paying tribute to the singer, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said that the people of Assam and Garg’s family deserve to know the truth about what happened.

"I spoke to the family, and they only said one thing to me: that we have lost our Zubeen and all we want is that the truth should be clear," news agency ANI quoted him as saying. "It is the duty of the government to quickly and transparently investigate what has happened and tell the family exactly what took place in Singapore".

During his interaction with the media, Gandhi recalled a personal memory from his younger days to describe Garg’s character. "When I was 17, I went for a mountaineering course in Sikkim. Every day, I would see Mount Kanchenjunga. It was honest, transparent, unshakable, and beautiful," he said. "Today, when I heard that Gaurav (Gogoi) had called Zubeen Kanchenjunga, it immediately struck me that he truly embodied those qualities".

The Congress MP further emphasised that the priority must be truth and justice.

"I don’t want to digress from offering condolences. We love Zubeen Garg and wish to honour him. But first, we want transparency and justice. What happened in Singapore—everybody in Assam should know it. The sooner it happens, the better," he said while replying to the media’s question about whether the late singer be conferred the Bharat Ratna – India’s highest civilian honour.

The probe team has so far arrested five people, including Zubeen Garg's cousin Sandipan Garg. Sandipan, a DSP with Assam Police, was present at the yacht party in Singapore.

Four others—the singer's manager Siddharth Sharma, event organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, bandmate Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and musician Amritprava Mahanta—were also arrested in the case.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma earlier said the SIT, led by ADGP Munna Prasad Gupta, would travel to Singapore on October 20 to meet local police officials to coordinate on evidence related to Garg’s death.

Sarma has assured that the case will be "fast-tracked" and that any findings will be made public.

Singapore Police have, meanwhile, stated that no foul play is suspected so far, but their probe remains ongoing.

For millions across the Northeast, Zubeen Garg was more than just a musician — he was a symbol of Assamese identity.

As the investigation continues, Rahul Gandhi’s visit has amplified the growing call for transparency and closure for the late artist’s family and admirers.

- Ends

With agency inputs

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