GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday hinted that the ongoing protest in the state demanding justice for the late music icon Zubeen Garg was politically motivated.
He told media persons in Baksa that 50 per cent of the protest would immediately end if he resigned, and the remaining 50 per cent would end if Congress MP and party’s Assam president Gaurav Gogoi was made the chief minister.
“The purpose of this protest is not about ensuring justice for Zubeen. Over the past four and a half years (his term so far), they didn’t get any opportunity (to attack the government), and now that they have got one, they thought they should utilise it,” Sarma said without taking the name of any individual or political party.
He appealed to people to repose their trust in the judiciary, stating that a government may err but the judiciary will not.
The chief minister said the government would, in pursuance of a decision of the state cabinet, request the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court to set up a fast-track court for the trial of the case.
“The biggest respect to Zubeen will be if we can keep Assam peaceful and ensure that the state’s journey on the road of development continues. There cannot be a bigger respect than this to him,” Sarma said. He added, “Our objective will be to finish his unfinished works. We want to build his memorial, statues, besides music schools and music colleges in the constituencies.”
During his visit, the chief minister met with the families of two persons who were injured recently when a mob clashed with police during the shifting of five accused in Garg’s death case to the Baksa Central Jail. He offered Rs 2 lakh each to support their medical treatment and assured of further financial assistance, if required.
Meanwhile, a two-member Special Investigation Team, headed by Special DGP (CID) Munna Prasad Gupta, reached Singapore on Monday in connection with the probe. The team was expected to meet Singapore authorities on Tuesday.
Garg died under mysterious circumstances while swimming at a sea in Singapore on September 19. He travelled to the country to attend the 4th North East India Festival (NEIF).
So far, seven persons have been arrested. They are NEIF organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, Garg’s manager Siddhartha Sharma, DSP cousin Sandipan Garg, personal security officers Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya, bandmate Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and singer Amrit Prabha Mahanta. All are currently in judicial custody.
