Guwahati, Feb 27 (IANS) Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president Lurinjyoti Gogoi on Friday welcomed the Assam government’s decision to initiate fast-track court proceedings in the case involving noted Assamese singer Zubeen Garg, but alleged that attempts were being made to politicise the issue and complicate the investigation.

Speaking to IANS, Gogoi described Zubeen Garg as the “heart-throb of Assam” and said that from the very beginning, various organisations and sections of society have been demanding justice in the case.

He alleged that the incident was a “well-planned murder” and claimed that despite the seriousness of the matter, efforts are underway to divert attention and create confusion.

“The demand for justice for Zubeen Garg is not new. From day one, we have been saying that this is not a simple incident but a well-planned murder. Fast-track court proceedings are necessary, but justice should not just be fast — it should also be fair and transparent,” Gogoi said.

The AJP President further alleged that the BJP-led state government is trying to politicise the issue.

He claimed that Zubeen Garg had always been vocal against what he termed as “dominant politics” and suggested that this could be one of the underlying reasons behind the developments surrounding the case.

“Zubeen Garg consistently raised his voice against dominant and authoritarian politics. This may be uncomfortable for those in power, and that is why we fear that the issue is being politicised instead of being handled purely from the perspective of justice,” Gogoi added.

Criticising the state government further, Gogoi also accused the BJP of politicising welfare schemes.

He said that beneficiary-oriented schemes are a necessity for the common people and are part of the government’s responsibility towards citizens.

“Welfare schemes are meant for public benefit, not for political branding. Unfortunately, the ruling party is converting these programmes into political events instead of treating them as genuine public welfare initiatives,” he said.

The Assam Cabinet on Thursday decided to move the Gauhati High Court seeking the constitution of a fast-track court to ensure speedy trial in the Zubeen Garg case, citing widespread public sentiment and the need for timely justice.

The state government had formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) earlier slapped murder charges on festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, Garg’s manager Siddhartha Sharma, two of his bandmates Amritprabha Mahanta and Sekharjyoti Goswami. All of them were lodged in different jails across the state.

–IANS

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