Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday cautioned against attempts to politicise the death of noted Assamese singer Zubeen Garg, asserting that the state government would not allow anyone to destabilise Assam through emotional or political exploitation.

Describing the singer’s demise as “unfortunate and piteous,” Sarma criticised what he termed “fake fans” who are allegedly trying to twist Garg’s legacy for political gain. “Many of these people didn’t listen to a single song of Zubeen Garg while he was alive. After his death, they are trying to take his ideology into another context,” he told reporters.

The Chief Minister also highlighted that the BJP has initiated a campaign with the slogan, “I am Zubeen fan and we are also Zubeen fans,” reaffirming the party’s commitment to preserving Assam’s cultural unity. “This is Bishnu Prasad, Jyoti Prasad, Bhupen Hazarika, Zubeen Garg’s Assam. We will never allow anyone to destabilise it,” he added.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia accused the government of lacking transparency in the ongoing probe into Garg’s death. He questioned the Chief Minister’s role in managing information from the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and raised concerns over security lapses during Garg’s visit to Singapore.

Saikia also urged accountability from Union Minister Pabitra Margherita and expressed disappointment that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had not reached out to Garg’s family. Additionally, he questioned the appointment of CM Vigilance officers to CID positions and sought clarity on search procedures at the residence of event organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta.

The Congress leader stated that he had written to the President of India seeking a court-monitored joint CID-CBI probe and separately appealed to Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong for transparency regarding Garg’s death, which occurred during an official event marking 60 years of India–Singapore diplomatic ties.