On Wednesday, April 1, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi told India Today that she would not politicise the death of singer Zubeen Garg, saying she has lost family members to violence and that “politicising Zubeen’s death is the last thing” she would do. At the same time, she said elected representatives cannot ignore a widespread public demand for accountability and must respond to calls for justice.
Gandhi said tragedies should ideally remain above politics but argued that public sentiment requires attention from those in office. “Millions of people in Assam revered him. When there is a strong public demand that justice be delivered, it is our duty to respond. How can we ignore that?” she asked, adding that promising to pursue justice within a defined timeframe should not be dismissed as political opportunism.
Reiterating her personal reluctance to exploit grief, Gandhi noted her own experience of losing family members to violence and said, “Politicising such a loss is the last thing I would want to do,” while acknowledging that politicians operate in a charged environment where public expectations must be addressed.
Her remarks came amid sharp criticism from Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who accused the Congress of indulging in “politics” by referencing Zubeen Garg’s death in its election manifesto. Speaking on the sidelines of a BJP manifesto release event, Sarma called the late singer deeply loved across Assam and described invoking his name as “unfortunate and sad.”
The Congress says its stance reflects public sentiment and a commitment to secure justice for the bereaved; the BJP characterises the move as an attempt to leverage a sensitive issue for electoral gain.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/assam/video/priyanka-responds-to-india-todays-question-on-politics-over-zubeen-1368774-2026-04-01?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-04-01 16:00:00
