After the untimely and tragic demise of Zubeen Garg, the entire northeast region, particularly Assam, plunged into a state of grief—a choking sadness that seemed to strangle every individual.

The death of Assam's most beloved son shook the region profoundly. It took several days for the rest of the country—popularly referred to as Mainland India—to awaken to the news. Yet, whether they were asleep or awake mattered little to the crores of northeasterners, for we had lost our Zubeen Da.

As the circumstances surrounding his death remained shrouded in mystery, questions arose: was it purely accidental, the result of negligence by those accompanying him on his swim, or a premeditated act of murder?

While opinions online remain divided about the cause of his death, the demand for justice is unequivocal.

The hashtag #JusticeForZubeenGarg is trending on social media, appearing on almost every post—sometimes even on personal or private photographs.

Yet, the pressing question remains: will Zubeen Garg receive justice? And if so, what will that justice look like? More importantly, what sort of justice are we exactly seeking for?

We do not know whether Zubeen Garg was murdered, suffered an accidental death, or died due to negligence.

The cause will be finalised and sealed after the investigation and the probe ends and only after that, punishment will be pronounced according to the subsequent section(s) of law.

But what is the justice we truly seek?

On October 6, 2025, Zubeen Garg's wife, Garima Saikia Garg, and his sister, Palme Borthakur, posted on Facebook seeking justice for their beloved person, despite the Assam government and Assam police leaving no stone unturned to uncover the truth and deliver justice.

The general public, too, seems to have “lost hope,” growing anxious and restless, demanding swift justice—justice delivered as instantly as it appears in popular Hindi language films.

What began as an emotional outpouring has gradually morphed into a sinister political game.

Every politician—from booth-level leaders to the Chief Minister—is trying to score political brownie points.

And why wouldn’t they? With the 2026 Assam Assembly polls only months away, delivering “justice to Zubeen Garg” could pave a smoother path for their political ambitions.

Then there are ordinary citizens—people like you and me—attempting to assert relevance in society by voicing our demand for justice in our own ways.

As asked earlier, what is the justice we are truly seeking?

Even after assurances from the Chief Minister and the DGP that Zubeen Da will receive justice, we continue to take to the streets, lodge FIRs, crowd police stations, and vent our frustrations on social media—often only to face the government’s scrutiny.

Why do we instigate ourselves with impassioned pep talks? Why, despite “loud assurances” from the top brasses, are we still concocting conspiracy theories, turning our 8 pm gatherings into pensive, emotionally charged-up and intense sessions?

Sometimes I wonder whether the statements made by those in custody can be deemed credible, given how frequently they change. I am no student of law, but it is a concern that cannot be ignored.

When Zubeen Garg was alive, his blunt, hard-hitting statements earned him more political adversaries than friends. Almost every political party and its leaders criticised him openly- some even gong on to attack him personally over some of his "non-social" acts.

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Whether it was the Chief Minister mocking Zubeen during an election rally for using kela (an Assamese expletive) to highlight the BJP’s failures, or a cabinet colleague asking, “Who is Zubeen? Should we give him so much leverage just because he sings well?”—Zubeen Garg spared no one

From the leaders of Asom Jatiya Parishad to Raijor Dal, BJP to Congress, he labelled every Assamese politician “corrupt,” drawing widespread ire.

Yet, after his death, these same politicians now appear as custodians of the emotional movement demanding justice.

With each passing day, matters sink lower: mudslinging and character assassination dominate headlines. It will not be long before Zubeen Garg himself is targeted.

When his wife was not spared while she struggled to come to terms with her loss, targeting a death person is easy and convenient, isn't it?

The day is not far when media trails of the accused will turn into a dive to unearth the "undisclosed chapters" from Zubeen Garg's life: after all, the dead cannot fend for himself!

When the time was to ask the uncomfortable questions to the so-called custodians, the media was busy in tracing the identity of Junmoni-Runjun, Zubeen Garg's childhood crush!

Was it so so necessary?

The probe is carried out by a team of efficient police officers, however, they can be hardly seen facing the media!

Is it necessary for the chief minister to speak on every issue, answer everything and make some flippant remarks

When he speaks, the media listens- I mean only listens- why?

Why have we lost our voice?

If the Chief Minister and his colleagues can now champion justice for Zubeen Garg despite mocking him in the past, why should other parties’ involvement in the campaign be reduced to mere political manoeuvring for the 2026 Assembly elections?

A meticulous attempt has been made to trivialise things surrounding this case. If unchecked, such attempts will succeed, leaving only the remnants of a once-vigorous demand for justice.

We should keep voicing and we should keep demanding, but let us first decide what justice are we seeking for as in our demand for justice, we have already created several loopholes, allowed many to make flippant remarks and use Zubeen Da for their personal financial gains.

The distrust in our lawmakers, despite repeated assurances that Assam's Heartthrob will get justice at any cost, is a pressing concern. If not the law, then who will provide justice?

#JusticeForZubeenGarg is not just like any other hashtag campaign, but it is an emotional movement of crores of people and the cunning foxes know well how to deviate and divert the emotions.

Let us remain vigil and focussed on our demand- let us concretely define the justice we want, the justice we are seeking for.

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