A new controversy has erupted in Assam after actor Ravi Sarma claimed that trees were cut at Dighalipukhuri soon after the death of singer Zubeen Garg, accusing the government of hiding the truth. The issue has now turned into a heated debate, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Minister Pijush Hazarika denying the allegations, while Ravi Sarma insists that he has proof to back his claim.
In an interview with a private news channel, Ravi Sarma questioned the government’s sincerity, saying, “Why should I believe them when they say they love Zubeen?” He alleged that right after Zubeen Garg’s death on September 19, trees around Dighalipukhuri were being cut. Sarma appealed to the people of Assam to stay alert and not be influenced by emotional gestures made in Zubeen’s name.
Responding to this, Minister Pijush Hazarika, who holds the Public Relations and Water Resources portfolios, strongly refuted the allegations. In a Facebook post, he wrote, “The claim that trees at Dighalipukhuri were cut after the death of our beloved artist Zubeen Garg is false propaganda. No trees along the banks of Dighalipukhuri have been cut, nor has there been any proposal to cut them. This allegation is baseless.” 
Soon after, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also dismissed the claims, stating that the government had not carried out or approved any tree-cutting work in the Dighalipukhuri area. The Chief Minister added that the state had paid full respect to Zubeen Garg and would never take any step that could hurt public sentiment.
But Ravi Sarma stood firm on his stand. Taking to Facebook again, he posted, “I may be speaking falsely, but the video does not lie.” He shared visuals showing local residents and protesters near the Dighalipukhuri area, who claimed that materials for bridge construction had already been brought to the site. The protesters said even small plants were being uprooted and that the government had started work soon after Zubeen’s passing.
In the video, one protester was heard saying, “Is this politics? It has been only a few days since the death of our beloved artist, and yet the government has resumed its work by cutting trees.” The protesters alleged that the authorities were acting on their own without considering the emotions of the people.
