“Please Don’t Be Angry”: Garima Appeal for Calm after Aastha Bora’s Remark on Zubeen

Amid widespread online outrage over a remark made by Jatin Bora’s daughter, Aastha Bora, about Zubeen Garg, his wife Garima Saikia Garg, and sister Palmee Borthakur have appealed for calm and understanding.

The controversy began after Aastha, while responding to a media query about Zubeen Garg’s final film Roi Roi Binale, referred to the singer simply as “Zubeen” instead of “Zubeen da” — a respectful form of address in Assamese culture for elders and with an informal Assamese pronoun that is generally used while addressing younger or close acquaintances.

The remark quickly went viral, drawing criticism from many of Zubeen’s admirers who felt it was disrespectful to Zubeen Garg.

In response, Garima Saikia Garg took to Facebook to defend the young girl, urging people not to be harsh or judgmental.

“Please don’t blame or hold anger against her. These children were all like our own,” Garima wrote.

“Zubeen and I loved them deeply—Aastha and Geet (Jatin Bora’s children), Birina (Rajesh Bhuyan’s daughter), Dimi (Dipak Kashyap’s daughter), Chun-Chun (Raja Borah’s son), and Rahul and Rohan (Gautam Sharma’s sons).

From the moment they were born, Zubeen used to say, ‘These kids will be my friends when they grow up.’ He even taught them to call him Zubeen and me Garima.”

Garima explained that these children had grown up closely around them, sharing meals, stories, and countless memories.

“They still love and care for me deeply. If Aastha has said something wrong in public, please understand that it wasn’t intentional. She’s still learning. Please correct her gently and forgive her first,” she appealed.

She ended her post with a poignant line: “Now we only need one answer — what really happened on September 19?” — referring to the day of Zubeen Garg’s untimely death.

Zubeen’s sister, Palmee Borthakur,  also posted a message. “Aastha, Jatin da’s daughter, was very dear to Zubeen da. Their generation called him Zubeen, not Zubeen da — that’s how closely he connected with the younger ones,” Palmee wrote.

“Let’s keep that innocent bond of love intact. If she unknowingly said something hurtful, guide her like an elder would — but please, don’t be angry.”

Also Read: Garima Garg’s Post Asks: "One Question Still Burns — What Really Happened on September 19"