Six years after he threw his weight behind the violent anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act stir and sang "Politics nokoriba bondhu (Don't do politics, friend)", cultural icon Zubeen Garg is at the centre of a political storm in Assam.

Since Garg died in Singapore on September 13, the ruling BJP and its rivals have been engaged in a battle of one-upmanship. The leaders of these parties have been trying to project themselves as the biggest fans of the singer-composer-actor. They have also been targeting one another for being allegedly close to the accused in the case.

The desperation is understandable. The wave of emotions triggered by Garg's "mysterious" death in Singapore shows no signs of stopping as Assam inches closer to Assembly elections, due by May 2026.

Garg was hugely popular for his craft, philanthropy, and propensity to take a stand, like he did against the CAA and the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom, when it "banned" Hindi songs during the Bohag Bihu programmes. He also spoke out against government policies, even criticising Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for the felling of trees for a flyover in Guwahati in 2024. However, he kept his activism separate from his professional pursuits. This explains why he sang the theme song for the Khelo India event in Guwahati when the anti-CAA protest was at its peak.

Garg died by drowning, according to the Singapore Police Force. But his sudden death began escalating into a major political issue when millions of his fans virtually laid siege to Guwahati for four days until his funeral. While the BJP-led government moved fast to ensure a smooth final journey for him and book those accused of causing his death, rivals exploited the charged atmosphere.

For over a month after Garg's death, political parties and pressure groups have been in a contest to control the narrative surrounding his legacy. While the government constituted a Special Investigation Team and arrested seven people, including Garg's manager Siddharth Sharma and event organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, at whose programme Garg was to have performed, the Congress has accused the BJP of shielding the accused because of interests involved. Mr. Sarma provided fuel for the Opposition by suggesting that the BJP fared poorly in the Bodoland Territorial Council elections, held on September 22, because Garg's death affected the party's campaign. He warned of foul play (by political rivals) in the fight for justice for Garg and advised people to vote the BJP out in 2026 if the government failed to conduct a proper probe.

Citing cases of mob violence -- first on September 25 when the police searched Mr. Sharma's residence in Guwahati; and then on October 15, at Mushalpur, when the five accused were transferred to the Baksa Central Jail -- Mr. Sarma advised the people not to turn Assam "into Nepal" and "weaponise" Garg's death. Pointing to his detractors, he said people "who were never Zubeen's fans are now using his name for their own agenda".

Leaders of the Congress, the Raijor Dal, and the Assam Jatiya Parishad have been relentlessly attacking Mr. Sarma and the BJP for "probe sloth" to "save the accused". They have been flooding social media handles with photos showing the prime accused with the Chief Minister and other BJP leaders. The BJP has been countering their allegations by presenting similar photos of the accused with Opposition leaders, including Congress president Gaurav Gogoi and Raijor Dal president, Akhil Gogoi. The BJP has also launched a 'Nyay Yatra (justice march)'.

Behind the political manoeuvres is the fact that Garg was a unifying figure, whose calls for inclusivity were in sharp contrast with the divisive rhetoric in Assam over the past few years. Garg's fan base encompasses the Assamese and the Adivasis, who are a potent electoral force in central and eastern Assam; the Bengalis in southern and central Assam; and the migrant Muslims, often labelled Bangladeshi, of central and western Assam; apart from the tribal people scattered across the State. They all continue to demand justice for their icon.

Garg's death has, thus, created an opportunity for the Opposition, earlier perceived to lack adequate firepower to dislodge the BJP and its allies, and magnified the problems for the BJP to the extent of making Mr. Sarma release a video saying "anti-government politics in the name of Zubeen" will not be tolerated.

Playing politics over Zubeen Garg