Guwahati, Dec 22: Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi on Sunday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the late singer Zubeen Garg during his recent two-day visit to Assam.

In a post on social media, Gogoi said the Prime Minister addressed public rallies and attended several official programmes in the state but did not mention Garg or meet his family. Gogoi alleged that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had advised Modi not to refer to the singer.

Zubeen Garg died while swimming in Singapore on September 19. The state police’s Criminal Investigation Department recently filed a chargesheet in the case. According to the chargesheet, four persons festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, Garg’s secretary Siddhartha Sharma, and band members Shekharjyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta have been charged with murder. Garg’s cousin, suspended police officer Sandipan Garg, has been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Two personal security officers, Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya, have been charged with criminal conspiracy and breach of trust.

Gogoi described the Prime Minister’s silence as “unfortunate and saddening” and said Modi neither visited Garg’s cremation ground nor met his family during the Assam visit. He stated that Zubeen Garg held a special place in the lives of the people of Assam and questioned who prepared the Prime Minister’s speeches.

The Congress leader also said that Rahul Gandhi had visited Garg’s family and cremation ground on October 17 to demand justice, while Sonia Gandhi had sent her condolences to Garg’s widow. Gogoi reiterated the demand for justice in the case and sought the Bharat Ratna for the late singer.