Prime Minister Narendra Modi began a high-profile two-day visit to Assam, landing in Guwahati on December 20 to inaugurate the country’s first nature-themed airport terminal before flying to Namrup to lay the foundation stone for a Rs 10,600-crore ammonia-urea fertiliser project. The next day, he met students, paid tributes to Assam agitation martyrs and joined roadshows as posters and banners flooded Guwahati. BJP leaders claimed projects worth Rs 15,600 crore were launched during the visit which drew huge crowds, traffic diversions and intense political attention ahead of key elections.
Yet, during his first visit to Assam since Zubeen’s passing, Modi doesn’t utter a single word about him. Not in his speeches at Guwahati or Namrup, not during the roadshows, not even a whisper of condolence to the family or a visit to his resting place. He finds time to honor the Assam agitation martyrs; fair enough, they deserve it, but forgets the icon who united Assam in ways no politician ever could. How convenient. How insulting. This isn’t an oversight; it’s a deliberate slap in the face to every Assamese who cherished Zubeen as their own.
And who’s right there by Modi’s side? Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the man who runs Assam. Sarma, with his sharp tongue and sharper politics has been quick to form SITs and promise justice for Zubeen’s death, even delaying announcements and stirring controversies with a chargesheet that many call a character assassination rather than real accountability. 
But when the Prime Minister comes calling, does Sarma remind him to pay respects to Assam’s cultural Kohinoor? Apparently not. Instead, we see Gautam Adani tagging along, rubbing shoulders with the bigwigs. Adani, the billionaire whose companies are gobbling up Assam’s resources in the name of “development.” Modi and Sarma roll out the red carpet for him, but for Zubeen..NOt at all. Zero. Zilch. It’s like they’re saying loud and clear: Corporate cronies matter more than cultural heroes. What a shameful priority!
This snub stings deep because Zubeen wasn’t political fodder; he was above that. He criticized the Citizenship Amendment Act, stood against division and gave voice to the voiceless. Artists worldwide, from American pop star Post Malone who tributized him in Guwahati to Bollywood stars have honored him.
Even Rahul Gandhi visited his grave, met the family and demanded justice while Sonia Gandhi sent condolences via letter. But Modi? Silent. Sarma? Complicit. If this isn’t disrespect to Zubeen, what is? It’s an insult to Assam’s pride, its identity, its people who still grieve and demand answers.
The opposition isn’t letting this slide. They’ve come out swinging, blasting Modi and Sarma for this heartless neglect. Former Assam Congress President Bhupen Borah took to social media, questioning the omission sharply: “Dear people, I was wondering why our dear and departed icon ZUBEEN GARG was missing from the Prime Minister’s speech in Guwahati and Namrup? Was it deliberate or an oversight? Share your thoughts. #JusticeForZubeenGarg Jai Aai Axom!”
Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president Lurinjyoti Gogoi posted: “After the passing of our beloved national icon, the ‘Son of God’ Zubeen Garg, the Prime Minister visited Assam for the first time. We sincerely hoped that he would remember our beloved artist in his speech. But he did not. It has deeply saddened us. Zubeen is a burning flame; the more anyone tries to dim that great personality with tactics or strategy, the more brightly he will shine.” #JusticeForZubeenGarg.
Then there’s Assam Congress President and Lok Sabha MP from Jorhat, Gaurav Gogoi: “During his recent visit, the Prime Minister participated in several programmes in Assam over the last two days and addressed the people of the state. But unfortunately, not even once did he utter a single word about the Assamese people’s beloved artist, the late Zubeen Garg, who lived in the core of Assamese hearts. Moreover, he did not meet Zubeen da’s family nor find time to visit his resting place. This is truly very unfortunate and saddening. Ignoring an artist who holds such a special place in Assamese hearts is not just disrespect to one departed artist, but an insult to the entire people of Assam. We condemn this apathy and neglect by the Prime Minister. Our question is: who advised the Prime Minister to avoid mentioning Zubeen Garg’s name? Who prepared his speech? Or was it the Chief Minister of Assam who guided the Prime Minister not to mention Zubeen Garg? In contrast, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi visited Zubeen da’s resting place and paid tribute, met his family members, and demanded justice. Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi also conveyed her condolences through a letter to Garima Garg. Every Assamese wants justice for Zubeen da and demands that Zubeen da be honoured with the highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna. Such neglect and indifference are completely unacceptable to us.”
Gogoi’s attack goes further in Parliament, where he honored Zubeen’s legacy and urged the government to explain the mysterious circumstances of his death during an official event in Singapore.
He called Zubeen Assam’s “Kanchenjunga”, a towering symbol of hope and unity and demanded the Bharat Ratna. In another post, he slammed Sarma’s chargesheet as a tool for character assassination saying the CM would go to any lengths to tarnish Zubeen’s reputation, even blackmailing his family and supporters.
President of Assam Pradesh Mahila Congress, Mira Borthakur Goswami, added fuel to the fire during Modi’s visit: “Modi has handed Assam’s resources to Adani in the name of development. But why did he not remember our own resource, Zubeen Garg, even once?” She demanded respect for Assamese cultural icons, accusing the government of favoring big corporates while ignoring local pride and issues.
Beyond these, voices on social media amplify the outrage. User Choudhury2x posted: “For two days, Narendra Modi has been in Assam – rallies and roadshows nonstop. Yet not a single word for Zubeen Garg, a symbol of Assamese identity. No tribute, no family visit, no condolences.”
Venisha G Kiba posted: “Entire Assam is waiting for justice for late Singer Zubeen Garg but Chargesheet by Himanta Biswa Sarma’s govt intends to character assassinate him. As Gaurav Gogoi is saying, BJP and Himanta are insulting the people of Kanchenjunga and Assam.”
This chorus of criticism isn’t just politics; it’s raw emotion. Zubeen’s death united a state torn by religious tensions, his music a bridge across divides.
Modi did pay tribute in his Mann Ki Baat on September 28, calling him the “Kohinoor of Assamese culture,” but that was months ago.
During this visit, fresh after ongoing probes and public grief, silence speaks volumes. Sarma, who once mocked opposition demands for Bharat Ratna as “casual,” now stands accused of using Zubeen’s case for political mileage.
How dare Modi and Sarma forget Zubeen while parading development? Assam deserves better than this cold shoulder. It’s time for real tribute: justice, recognition and a Bharat Ratna. Anything less is betrayal. The people of Assam won’t forget this insult and neither should the leaders who claim to serve them.
