Nagaland minister Temjen Imna Along has condemned the comments made by a Naga student about late singer Zubeen Garg at Kaziranga University in Jorhat, Assam.
What's Happening
- According to ANI, the student allegedly used abusive language against the late singer during an argument.
- Speaking to the media, Temjen Imna Along described Zubeen as not only the pride of Assam but of the entire Northeast and India. He assured that all Naga students at the university are safe.
- "This is a very sensitive issue. When one of our own boys makes such a mistake, whether it's knowingly or unknowingly, first of all, such statements in anger or in happiness should not be given. That is completely wrong," he said.
- The minister added, "More than 300-400 Naga students at Kaziranga University are safe, and no untoward incidents have occurred apart from the initial unrest. Such statements, whether in anger or jest, are wrong and insensitive. Zubeen Garg was not only a pride of Assam but also of the entire Northeast and India. We are sorry for what our boy has spoken about."
- He also appealed to students to avoid emotional outbursts on social media during this sensitive time, as fans across Assam continue to pay tribute to Zubeen Garg.
What Happened At Kaziranga University?
The controversy at Kaziranga University reportedly began around 8:30 pm on Saturday when a B.Tech civil engineering student from Nagaland made remarks that were perceived as disrespectful towards the late singer Zubeen Garg.
In a viral video, the student was heard saying, "Who cares?" To this, a few others present in the room responded, "What do you mean, 'Who cares?' Hey, don't disrespect Zubeen da." The student then added, "Did you care when Queen died? Don't be like that. Who is that f*** Zubeen Garg?"
According to reports, the incident unfolded after the student, while returning from Jorhat, was unable to find transportation back to the hostel. Once he reached, he vented his frustration to his roommates about the lack of vehicles.
During this outburst, he made the remarks that many Assamese students found offensive.
Following the circulation of the clip, a group of students from outside Kaziranga University, along with some outsiders, entered the campus and attempted to create unrest at Hunaru Hostel.
The situation was quickly brought under control by officials, including the SP, Additional SP, ADC, Circle Officer, and OIC of Pulibor, Jorhat.
As a precaution, additional police forces have since been deployed at the university's main gate and hostel premises to ensure peace and prevent any further incidents.
Who Was Zubeen Garg?
Zubeen Garg was one of Assam's most popular cultural icons, known for his songs in Assamese, Bengali and Hindi. He rose to nationwide fame with the hit track Ya Ali from the film Gangster and went on to deliver several other popular numbers, including Dil Tu Hi Bataa from Krrish 3.
Garg had also worked extensively in Assamese films as a singer, actor and director. Some of his hits included Kanchanjunga, Mission China, Dinabandhu and Mon Jai.
In 2022, he sustained a minor head injury after falling unconscious at a resort in Dibrugarh. He was later flown to Guwahati in an air ambulance and treated at a private super-speciality hospital.
How Did Zubeen Garg Die?
Initial reports suggested that Zubeen Garg died while scuba diving. A representative of the North East India Festival in Singapore told NDTV, "It is with deep sadness that we share the news of Zubeen Garg's passing."
"While scuba diving, he experienced breathing difficulties and was immediately given CPR before being rushed to Singapore General Hospital. Despite efforts to save him, he was declared deceased in the ICU around 2.30 pm IST," Anuj Kumar Boruah said.
However, fresh details have since emerged suggesting otherwise.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the singer died while swimming in the sea without a life jacket. According to PTI, Sarma said, "Zubeen died while swimming without a life jacket," adding that Singapore authorities will question the people who had accompanied the singer for swimming.
Sarma also said there is a video in which Zubeen Garg is seen jumping into the sea from a yacht wearing a life jacket. "After the 1.26 mark in the video, Zubeen Garg can be seen returning to the yacht. According to reports, he jumped into the sea for the second time, but after taking off the life jacket, saying it was uncomfortable swimming with the life jacket on," the Chief Minister added.
Moments later, Garg was found floating in the sea, unresponsive. He was rushed to Singapore General Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead around 2:30 pm Indian time. An autopsy will be conducted tomorrow.
The organisers of the North East India Festival also issued a statement underlining that they were unaware of the yacht visit before the accident.
The statement read, "Earlier today, our entire team was engaged in a business meeting with senior Singaporean industrialists and policymakers at the Shangri-La Hotel to facilitate investments in Northeast India. During the meeting, we received a call from Zubeen's manager informing us that he had met with an accident and had been rushed to Singapore General Hospital. We later learned that a few members of the local Assamese community had taken him on a yacht visit, of which we had no prior knowledge," the statement further read.
