AJP’s Lurinjyoti Gogoi Slams Govt. Over Mismanagement at Zubeen Garg’s Tribute

The sea of emotions that engulfed Guwahati’s Sarusajai Stadium on Sunday, as lakhs of fans gathered to bid farewell to music icon Zubeen Garg, was marred by scenes of mismanagement and chaos. Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president Lurinjyoti Gogoi has now come out strongly against the state government, accusing it of failing to provide adequate arrangements for one of the most significant public gatherings in the state’s history.

Gogoi, who himself stood in line for nearly four hours without being able to pay his last respects, expressed his frustration at the arrangements. He said, “Despite waiting so long, I couldn’t even pay tribute to Zubeen. It was heartbreaking, not just for me but for thousands of others who faced the same ordeal.”

According to Gogoi, the situation on the ground reflected a complete lack of planning. With traffic snarls stretching for miles, many fans were forced to walk 5 to 10 kilometres to reach the stadium. Inside the venue, poor crowd management led to scuffles among mourners. 

He also added, “For a legend like Zubeen, the government should have ensured proper management. This was his last journey, and it should have been handled with dignity.” 

The AJP leader also drew comparisons with the funeral of Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika, which was remembered for its discipline and organisation. Gogoi stated, “During Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s tribute ceremony, every admirer had the chance to offer their respects because of the orderly arrangements. But this time, however, the Government failed to provide the same dignity for Zubeen Garg’s farewell,”.

This was the fourth-largest global gathering for a celebrity’s death ceremony. Yet, the state failed to rise to the occasion.

Calling Zubeen Garg “immortal in death,” Gogoi stressed that the government must learn from this incident and put in place proper protocols for managing such massive gatherings in the future.

 “We cannot afford to repeat this. For someone like Zubeen, who united millions through his music, the least the government could have done was to ensure that every fan got a chance to bid him farewell in peace,” he said.

The criticism echoes the sentiments of many mourners who, while united in grief, felt let down by the disorganised arrangements at Sarusajai. For them, the memory of Zubeen Garg will remain eternal, but the government’s failure to handle the moment with dignity is unlikely to be forgotten anytime soon.

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