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4 min readGuwahatiMar 30, 2026 05:45 AM IST
Zubeen Garg died on September 19 in Singapore.
The Congress on Sunday announced “five guarantees” for poll-bound Assam, including “Justice for Zubeen Garg within 100 days” and the promise of cash transfers to women to start businesses.
Addressing a public meeting in Assam’s Lakhimpur, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge announded the “five guarantees”.
The party’s first “guarantee” promised cash transfers of Rs 50,000 to “every woman’s bank account” to “start or grow businesses”. The current BJP government in the state has two flagship financial assistance schemes for women, which are a crucial part of its election outreach: the Orunodoi scheme of a monthly DBT of Rs 1,250 to women beneficiaries from economically weaker sections and the Mukhya Mantri Udyamita Abhiyaan, which is supposed to provide seed capital of up to Rs 85,000 over three years for entrepreneurship to women in self-help groups.
Kharge alleged that these existing schemes were being handed out with political strings attached. “The money that the BJP is today giving to women is conditional. They see that you are a BJP member. But after my government comes, we will not give any conditions. We will give it to all women,” he said.
The second Congress “guarantee” is Rs 25 lakh cashless health cover for families, with Kharge saying that this had been delivered by party-led governments in Karnataka, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Announcing the third “guarantee”, Kharge said, “In the matter of famous singer Zubeen Garg, we will deliver justice in 100 days. We will do the inquiry and show the result of how he was murdered and who were the people involved in 100 days,” he said.
Assamese superstar Zubeen Garg died in Singapore on September 19 last year and the mass public emotion and speculation surrounding his untimely death turned into a key political issue ahead of the Assembly elections. Opposition parties picked up the mass campaign “Justice for Zubeen”, driven by a public push for punishment to those they believe to be responsible for his death, and criticised the government for “failing to deliver justice”.
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Earlier this week, a coroner’s inquiry in Singapore, where Garg had died, ruled that it to be an accidental death. Assam Police, on the other hand, has charged four persons with murder, a case that is currently being heard in a sessions court in Guwahati.
The final two “guarantees” announced by the Congress are a senior citizen’s pension of Rs 1,250 per month – the existing DBT pension scheme for senior citizens is for Rs 250 – and a promise to convert 10 lakh “eksoniya” or annual land pattas of “Bhoomi putras” (indigenous inhabitants) to permanent pattas.
Targeting Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Kharge said he had “snatched” the Chief Minister’s seat from former BJP CM Sarbananda Sonowal through “deception”.
“The last election that had happened here had happened in the name of Sarbananda Sonowal. And who came and sat in the Chief Minister’s chair? A nakli admi (false person). His place was snatched; a Scheduled Tribe person’s face was used but he was removed and Himanta Biswa Sarma was seated,” he said.
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Referring to Sarma’s history with the Congress, which he left in 2015, Kharge said, “You were born with us (Congress), raised with us… You spit in the same place where you eat. Will you (referring to the gathering) vote for such a person? Will you vote for someone who deceives? Who lies? Who eats others’ money? Who steals land? Who helps the sand mafia. All the people in their house are drowning in corruption.”
He also accused Sarma of “spreading fear” in the state. “If someone is not with him, he tries to send them to jail. No matter how much he tries to scare you, don’t be scared. You cannot stand on your feet as long as you are scared of him. It is his habit to spread fear, to run bulldozers, raze houses,” he said.
Sukrita Baruah is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Guwahati. From this strategic hub, she provides comprehensive, ground-level coverage of India's North East, a region characterized by its complex ethnic diversity, geopolitical significance, and unique developmental challenges. Expertise and Experience Ethnic & Social Dynamics: Deep-dive coverage of regional conflicts (such as the crisis in Manipur) and peace-building efforts. Border & Geopolitics: Tracking developments along India’s international borders and their impact on local communities. Governance & Policy: Reporting on state elections, tribal council decisions, and the implementation of central schemes in the North East. Specialized Education Background: Prior to her current role, Sukrita was a dedicated Education Correspondent for The Indian Express in Delhi. This experience provided her with a sharp analytical lens for: Policy Analysis: Evaluating the National Education Policy (NEP) and university-level reforms. Student Affairs: Covering high-stakes stories regarding campus politics, national entrance exams, and the challenges within the primary and secondary education sectors. ... Read More
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