Assam: Rahul Gandhi Pays Tribute to Zubeen Garg, Calls Him ‘Kanchenjunga of Assam’
In closing, Gandhi invoked hope amid sorrow: "Artists never die. Like Kanchenjunga, Zubeen will forever remain at the highest peak – in our hearts, and in the melody of Assam."
SONAPUR / GUWAHATI – In a poignant gesture marking nearly a month since the tragic death of Assamese music icon Zubeen Garg, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited the singer’s cremation site in Sonapur on the outskirts of Guwahati on Friday.
Describing Garg as the “Kanchenjunga of Assam,” Gandhi drew a vivid parallel to the majestic Himalayan peak, evoking themes of honesty, resilience, and timeless beauty.
Gandhi, accompanied by Assam Congress in-charge Jitendra Singh, Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Debabrata Saikia, and other party leaders, arrived at the site where Garg’s last rites were performed on September 19 following his drowning in Singapore.
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He offered a traditional Assamese ‘gamosa’ scarf and a wreath at the cremation platform, observed a moment of silence, and planted a ‘nahor’ (Indian rose chestnut) sapling – a tree the singer cherished – as a symbol of enduring legacy.
Later, Gandhi met Garg’s grieving family at their residence in Kahilipara, Guwahati, where he extended condolences and emphasized the need for transparency in the ongoing investigations into the singer’s death.
Addressing reporters after the tribute, Gandhi shared a personal anecdote to underscore his metaphor. “When I was 17 years old, I went for a mountaineering course in Sikkim. And every day when we would go for training, I would see Mount Kanchenjunga in front of us. And what I liked about the mountain was that it was honest, transparent, unshakable and beautiful,” he recalled.
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Connecting this to Garg, he added, “Today, while I was coming, Gaurav, said Zubeen ji called himself Kanchenjunga, and immediately it connected to me that he was Kanchenjunga because he had the qualities of Kanchenjunga.”
Gandhi’s words resonated deeply, highlighting how Garg, much like the third-highest peak in the world, embodied Assam’s unyielding spirit through his music, social commentary, and humility. “Zubeen ji called himself Kanchenjunga,” he reiterated, noting the singer’s frequent references to the mountain in his advocacy.
Turning to the circumstances of Garg’s passing – which preliminary Singapore police findings suggest was accidental, with no foul play, though probes by both Singapore and Assam authorities continue – Gandhi urged swift clarity.
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“It’s a tragedy that the whole state has faced. I spoke to the family, and they only said one thing to me, that ‘we have lost our Zubeen and all we want is the truth should be clear’. It is the duty of the government to quickly investigate what happened in Singapore and tell the family the whole truth,” he said.
He added, “The sooner the truth comes out, the better in Zubeen Garg’s case, as the family needs closure. It is the duty of the Assam government to transparently investigate and tell the family exactly what happened in Singapore.”
The visit, 28 days after Garg’s demise, drew a mixed response. While fans and locals expressed gratitude for Gandhi’s homage to their beloved artist – whose hits like “Ya Ali” transcended borders – Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma remarked that it was “better late than never,” recalling his earlier expectation for a senior Congress leader to attend the funeral.
In closing, Gandhi invoked hope amid sorrow: “Artists never die. Like Kanchenjunga, Zubeen will forever remain at the highest peak – in our hearts, and in the melody of Assam.”
As investigations proceed, with Assam Police having arrested seven individuals linked to related matters, Garg’s legacy continues to inspire calls for justice and cultural preservation across the state.
