Zubeen fans remain untouched by poll fever, say slow progress of case may play deciding factor

Guwahati: The poll fever in the state is palpable, with political parties and candidates pouring onto streets to connect with voters and make their pitch. However, the infectious atmosphere has failed to generate much enthusiasm among the members of the All Assam Zubeen Garg Fan Club.Established 10 years ago, the club and its members have been standing by their beloved singer and promoting his works and ideology. Members of the club said the lack of satisfactory progress in the singer’s death case, even six months after his demise, has left them disillusioned.They allege that parties have politicised Zubeen’s death for electoral gains. Club president Ankur Kharjgharia said the unresolved case could still influence voters’ decisions when they step into polling booths this election.

“Zubeen is not there physically to raise his voice against anything wrong. There has been a sudden jump in the fans of Zubeen after his demise. We never saw many people coming out to join Zubeen in his noble works. Now, everyone, including political parties, is using Zubeen for their personal gain,” he added.He said six months have passed by without any significant development in the case. “What we have seen is that the court has ordered to de-freezing of the the bank accounts of North East India Festival organiser Shaynkanu Mahanta, one of the accused, and the latest Singapore coroner’s court judgement saying that the singer’s death was an accidental drowning,” he added.

Khargharia added that CM Himanta Biswa Sarma told the Assam assembly during its winter session last year that it was a “plain and simple murder” and he claimed that his govt will deliver justice.“However, we all know that justice is delivered by the judiciary; not by a govt or a political party. Even after he said that, we have not seen satisfactory progress in the case. This has upset many and may emerge as a factor affecting voting patterns,” he added.The case is currently being heard in a sessions court here and will be transferred to a fast-track court to expedite the trial.The All Assam Zubeen Garg Fan Club has over 12,000 members across the state.