Viral Photo with Shyamkanu Mahanta Sparks Discussion; AASU President Clarifies

A picture and video of Utpal Sarma, All Assam Students' Union (AASU) President, with chief organiser of the Rongali festival Shyamkanu Mahanta have gone viral, and much attention and discourse have been raised on social media. Sarma's visit to Rongali festival in Khanapara, where he posed with Mahanta, has evoked a response from all sides.

In a Facebook post, Sarma spoke about the row, saying, "The irony is that I have a photo with Shyamkanu Mahanta, but none with Zubeen Garg. At the same time, there is hardly any senior leader — from either the ruling or opposition parties — or any well-known personality in Assam with whom Mahanta has not taken a photo."

He explained that the picture and video were captured during the Rongali festival in June 2024, when he was in attendance along with leaders of various national organizations. Yet another picture, he mentioned, was when visiting the funeral of Dr. Samujjwal Bhattacharya's mother. Sarma further mentioned that certain social media sites distributed these items, frequently for promotional purposes and not necessarily context.

"The pictures were already up on my Twitter and Facebook accounts. I removed the posts after noticing that others had taken screenshots. After Mahanta's recent exploits, I did not see the necessity of having such event memories on my social media," he clarified.

Sarma stressed that his attendance at Rongali was to enjoy Assam's handicrafts, cultural diversity, and local cuisine. At the same time, though, he questioned the abuse of public money in conducting such festivals and called upon the authorities to launch financial audits and ED inquiry into suspected irregularities.

Referring to the broader controversy, he declared, "Shyamkanu Mahanta might have clicked many snaps with Zubeen Garg and the Chief Minister, but Zubeen faced the most injustice. Taking a photo with Mahanta is no bar for anyone to raise their voice in favour of justice."

Sarma ended by asserting his commitment to justice for Zubeen Garg, stating, "In spite of personal attacks, we are firm in demanding accountability. No smear campaign or viral post can divert our minds from the fight for justice for the singer. As Zubeen himself had said, 'I do not favour anyone in matters of justice.'"

The viral moment brings to light the confluence of social media, politics, and popular opinion, and here, leaders such as Sarma shed light on context and reinforce ongoing activism for cultural and social responsibility in Assam.

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