Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said that the state government has prohibited Syamkanu Mahanta from holding functions or festivals within Assam.
Zubeen Garg, who gained nationwide prominence with the hit song Ya Ali from Gangster, died on September 19 while swimming without a life jacket in Singapore.
The decision comes a day after Assam bid a tearful farewell to the singer, who was one of the most beloved sons of the soil that took the state to global heights.
In an X post, CM Sarma said, "The State Government has decided to prohibit Shri Syamkanu Mahanta and any organisation associated with him from holding any functions or festivals within the State of Assam".
He further said that the government will not extend financial support in any form to events linked with Mahanta.
"Further, the State Government will not provide any financial grant, advertisement, or sponsorship to any event with which he is associated, either directly or indirectly," he said in the post.
CM Sarma also said, "The State Government will also request the Government of India not to extend any financial assistance or sponsorship to him in any manner".
Shyamkanu Mahanta is the main organiser of the North East India Festival in Singapore, where Zubeen Garg was set to perform on September 20 and 21.
Mahanta took Zubeen Garg to Singapore for the event, where the 52-year-old icon of Assam died on September 19 after a drowning incident. Accprding to reports, the singer had gone on a yacht ride with the people of the local Assamese community. Videos of him jumping from the yacht into the sea moments before his death are viral on social media.
Hours after Zubeen Garg's sudden death, the organisers of the North East India Festival issued a statement confirming the news of his death and underlined that they were unaware of the yacht visit before the tragic accident, adding that the festival stands cancelled in light of the singer's death.
Multiple FIRs were lodged against Zubeen Garg's manager, Siddharth Sharma, and Shyamkanu Mahanta at different police stations across the state, and the Assam Government has directed the CID to investigate all the FIRs.
Zubeen Garg was cremated with full state honours on Tuesday at Kamarkuchi, located on the outskirts of Guwahati. The funeral drew thousands of fans and admirers, with many visibly emotional as they paid their final respects to the artist fondly known as 'Goldie' among close friends and family.
The final rites were performed by Zubeen Garg's sister, Palme Borthakur, while his wife, Garima Saikia, was seen in tears, bidding farewell. A gun salute was accorded to the late artist as part of the state honours.
Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, paid floral tributes and wrote in a post on his social media, "The last time that I got to see #BelovedZubeen. From now on, he will live in Assam's soul, mind and heart..."
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju paid his last respects to Zubeen Garg at the crematorium in Kamarkuchi.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was present at the site, closely monitoring all the rituals in coordination with the authorities and the singer's family members.
Known as the cultural icon of Assam, Zubeen Garg was not just a singer but also a composer, music director, actor, and filmmaker. With a career spanning over three decades, he lent his voice to thousands of songs in Assamese, Hindi, Bengali, and several other Indian languages.
Zubeen Garg was a multi-instrumentalist and played 12 instruments, including anandalahari, dhol, dotara, drums, guitar, harmonica, harmonium, mandolin, keyboard, tabla, and various percussion instruments.
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