Can I get the votes back: Singer Zubeen Garg asks Assam CM
Guwahati, Jan 13: Five days after writing an open letter to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal over Citizenship Bill, popular Assam singer Zubeen Garg Sunday demanded him to return "the votes" obtained using the BJP election song sung by him in 2016.
In a Facebook post in his official page, Garg also offered to return the remuneration received from the BJP for singing the song.
"Dear Sarbananda Sonowal Da, Wrote a letter to you few days back. Guess you are too busy counting the black flags to respond," the popular singer wrote, referring to the ongoing protests across the state with black flags.
"So, can I get the votes back that you earned using my voice in 2016? I am ready to refund the remuneration," he added.
Garg has over 8.58 lakh followers on Facebook and the post has gone viral with over 800 shares in less than 45 minutes.
On January 8, Garg had threatened to launch an agitation by himself if Sonowal fails to take measures to scrap the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill within seven days.
The singer had posted an emotional letter addressed to the chief minister on social media along with a photograph of himself holding the letter.
Addressing Sonowal as "Sarbada", Garg had said: "Even if the Citizenship Bill has been passed in the Lok Sabha, Sarbada can say no to it. Speak and see, rest will be seen later. I am still keeping my cool.
"I won't be in Assam for one week. It will be good if Sarbada takes some action before my return. Otherwise this time, I will agitate on my own. What I will do, I don't know."
Two days later, Bollywood playback singer Angaraag Mahanta (Papon), who hails from Assam, also opposed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill saying it hurts the "Assamese sentiments".
The Citizenship Amendment Bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 to grant Indian citizenship to the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians, who fled religious persecution in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan and entered India before December 31, 2014, after six years of residence in the country, instead of the current 12 years, even if they do not possess any proper documents.
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At least 64 people killed in strike on hospital in Sudan: World Health Organization
Cairo: At least 64 people, including at least 13 children, were killed in a strike on a hospital in the western Darfur region of Sudan on Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday.
News agencies have reported that the strike on Al Daein Teaching Hospital in East Darfur on Friday not only injured at least 89 people but also rendered the hospital non-functional, Tedros Ghebreyesus, the head of the WHO, said in a post on X.
Sudan has been in a state of chaos since April 2023, when a power struggle between the military and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) developed into war across the country.
The RSF has blamed the military for the strike on the hospital.
The army, however, has denied the attack, but two military officials have said that the strike targeted a nearby police station. They spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not allowed to discuss the matter openly.
The war has killed more than 40,000 people, according to UN figures, but aid groups say that is an undercount and the true number could be many times higher.
The WHO has said that over 2,000 people have been killed in attacks on medical facilities since the start of the war.
“Enough blood has been spilled. Enough suffering has been inflicted. The time has come to de-escalate the conflict in Sudan,” said Ghebreyesus.
.@WHO has verified yet another attack on health care in #Sudan. This time, Al Deain Teaching Hospital in East Darfur’s capital, Al Deain, was struck, killing at least 64 people, including 13 children, two female nurses, one male doctor, and multiple patients.
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) March 21, 2026
As a result of this… pic.twitter.com/RAwDR5YVjd
