Guwahati: The Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) has appealed to the Central government to posthumously confer the Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award, on late cultural icon Zubeen Garg in recognition of his outstanding contributions to music, art, and the Assamese identity.
Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters on Lamb Road on Thursday, AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi said Zubeen Garg’s remarkable artistic journey had made him “a cultural bridge connecting Assam with the rest of India.”
Notably, the party had earlier, on September 21, submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the posthumous conferment of the Bharat Ratna on the late Assamese music legend.
In its memorandum to the Prime Minister’s Office, the party described Garg as “not only the heartbeat of Assam but also a priceless cultural treasure of the nation.”
It further highlighted that his artistic contributions transcended regional boundaries, significantly enriching India’s rich and diverse musical and cultural heritage.
Gogoi said that through his music and creative genius, Zubeen Garg had brought Assamese culture to both the national and global stage, inspiring millions across generations, and that he embodied unity, harmony, and cultural pride.
The party noted that the Narendra Modi-led Central government had previously conferred the Bharat Ratna posthumously on several eminent personalities and asserted that Zubeen Garg equally deserved the honour for his exceptional contribution to India’s cultural heritage.
The AJP further urged the Central government to announce the honour a day before Zubeen Garg’s birth anniversary on November 18, calling it a fitting tribute to the late artiste who continues to live on in the hearts of millions.
Additionally, the regional party demanded the cancellation of the upcoming Post Malone concert, scheduled for December 8 at Guwahati’s Khanapara Veterinary Ground, and proposed that the funds earmarked for the event be used to establish a music university in Garg’s name.
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“We demand that until Zubeen Garg gets justice, the Post Malone concert on December 8 be cancelled. The government has allocated more than Rs 100 crore for the event, and we urge that the amount be utilised to set up Zubeen Garg University in Guwahati,” Gogoi said.
