A month on, Assam mourns Zubeen death as family, fans await answers on his final moments
Guwahati (PTI): Even after the passage of a month after the death of cultural icon Zubeen Garg, people of Assam continued to mourn the loss, seeking answers on the final moments of the singer.
Garg died while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19.
Garg's wife, Garima, said the family, along with the people of the state, are waiting to know what happened in his final moments, and expressed faith in the legal system to unravel the truth.
Hundreds thronged Garg's cremation site at Sonapur, on the outskirts of Guwahati, since early this morning, paying tributes to their beloved singer-composer.
Fans and friends of the singer-composer also visited his residence at Kahilipara area of the city and his studio in Zoo Road area to be with his family and join them in remembering him.
A 10-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) of state police's CID is probing his death, with seven persons being arrested so far.
Singapore Police are also conducting its investigation, with SIT officers from Assam set to visit the Southeast Asian nation as part of its own probe.
Vedic rituals related to the occasion were organised by the family at his studio, with Garg's father, wife, sister and others joining it.
Speaking to reporters outside the studio, Garima said, "The studio was dear to him. Since the initial rituals were performed at our residence and Jorhat, we decided to perform the Vedic rituals on completion of one month here."
Asked for her comment on the police probe into Garg's death, she said, "We have faith in the investigation. Whom do we trust if not our own legal system? Zubeen was a straight-forward person and we want straight-forward investigation."
"We are all waiting peacefully to know what happened. People of Assam are waiting to know what happened in his last moments," Garima added.
Italian opera singer Gioconda Vessichelli, with whom Garg had collaborated for his yet-to-be released movie, also reached Guwahati to pay tributes to the cultural icon.
"Zubeen da used to say that she (Garima) is his tigress, who stood by him in good and bad times. And he was right," Vessichelli said, standing alongside Garima.
She recalled her earlier visit to Guwahati to shoot with Garg, when she came into contact with his family.
"There is so much love in the family. I feel Zubeen da is here. I already feel the gods have done justice to Zubeen Garg," Vessichelli added, referring to lakhs of people coming out to pay their last respects to Garg's mortal remains and participating in his funeral procession.
Fans came in private cars and buses to be at the final resting site of Garg, which has been drawing visitors by the thousand for the last one month.
"We booked two buses and are a group of over 100 people. We wanted to be here with Zubeen da and pay our homage," said a woman who had come from Boko in Kamrup district.
Another group of women from West Karbi Anglong district arrived with a framed photograph of Garg as a mark of their last respect.
People brought 'gamosas' (Assamese scarf) with lyrics of his songs written, his photographs and other items, besides lighting earthen lamps and incense sticks, in front of his cremation site.
Fans raised slogans like 'Joi Zubeen' and 'Justice for Zubeen' at the site.
'Naam' (Vasihnavite prayer songs) were performed at the site by people from different places, with programmes featuring Garg's songs and others lined up for the day.
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Modi govt by changing name of MGNREGA exposed its 'hatred' towards Gandhi: Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said that the union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attempting to change the name and structure of the MGNREGA, has itself exposed its "hatred" towards the poor and towards Mahatma Gandhi.
He also accused the Centre of "altering" the very structure of the scheme, by shifting nearly 40 per cent of the cost onto the state governments, and called Modi "anti federal".
Suggesting that the NDA government at the Centre start a "Ministry of Name Change", with the Prime Minister himself holding that portfolio, the CM warned of a statewide agitation against this name change move.
The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, that seeks to replace the existing rural employment law MGNREGA, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday amid strong objections by the opposition to the "removal" of Mahatma Gandhi's name from it.
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"The Union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is attempting to change the name and structure of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), has itself exposed its hatred towards the poor and towards Mahatma Gandhi," Siddaramaiah said in a statement.
Implemented by the UPA government 20 years ago, the MGNREGA scheme has played a crucial role in eradicating unemployment and poverty in rural areas, he said, adding that "this scheme, which guarantees the right to employment to every individual, has received praise from economists both in India and abroad."
Noting that MGNREGA was a genuine form of employment guarantee, the CM said the proposed new structure under the Modi government strips away that guarantee and places the assurance of work at the whims of political leaders.
"This will further deepen caste discrimination and social inequality," he claimed.
Highlighting that the NDA government has altered the very structure of MGNREGA, a scheme whose entire expenditure was earlier borne by the Central government, by shifting nearly 40 per cent of the cost onto the state governments, Siddaramaiah said this stands as clear evidence of the "anti-federal attitude" that Prime Minister Modi has followed ever since coming to power.
"This move will also increase the migration of poor people in search of work as the proposed form does not guarantee employment in their own location -- forcing families to travel long distances to survive," he said.
Naming this scheme after Mahatma Gandhi, who sowed the dream of Gram Swaraj, was a meaningful decision, the CM said, "While Prime Minister Narendra Modi indulges in praising Gandhi during his foreign tours, within the country he has consistently engaged in attempts to erase Gandhi's legacy from key national programmes. From a parivar that seeks to glorify Gandhi's assassin Godse, what different conduct can one really expect?"
"Narendra Modi is widely known for simply changing the names of landmark schemes launched by the UPA government rather than preserving or strengthening them. It would be more appropriate for this government to start a 'Ministry of Name Change,' with the Prime Minister himself holding that portfolio," he said.
More than 25 flagship programmes launched during earlier governments were merely renamed or repackaged by the present regime, the CM further said, listing out that the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan was rechristened as the Swachh Bharat Mission, while the Basic Savings Bank Deposit Account scheme was rebranded as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, among others.
"These changes reflect a consistent pattern of altering names rather than fundamentally strengthening or expanding the original intent of these welfare initiatives," he added.
Stating that the Congress party and state government strongly condemn this "anti-people" decision of the Narendra Modi government, which has snatched food from the plates of the poor, insulted Bapu, and attempted to strangle state governments financially, Siddaramaiah warned about launching a statewide agitation against this move.
"The responsibility of preserving the MGNREGA scheme in its original form must also be taken up by the lakhs of beneficiaries of the scheme. They must hold the BJP leaders of the state accountable and exert pressure on them to raise their voices against this injustice, rising above party lines," he said.
