"Can I Get Votes Back That You Got With My Voice In 2016," Asks Assam Singer Zubeen Garg To CM

Popular singer of Assam, Zubeen Garg, demanded Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to return “the votes” that the BJP got during elections by using the election song that he sang in 2016. He said this after writing an open letter to the Chief Minister over the Citizenship Bill.

Garg, in a Facebook post on his official page, also offered to return the remuneration he earned by singing the song, reported News18.

Garg’s Facebook post

“Dear Sarbananda Sonowal Da, Wrote a letter to you few days back. Guess you are too busy counting the black flags to respond,” he wrote, referring to the ongoing protests with black flags across the state. In less than 45 minutes, Garg’s post had gone viral with more than 800 shares.

He has over 8.58 lakh Facebook followers. “So, can I get the votes back that you earned using my voice in 2016? I am ready to refund the remuneration,” Garg added in his post.

With protests going on across the state, Garg had threatened that he would launch an agitation himself if the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was not withdrawn within seven days. Posting an emotional letter addressing the Chief Minister, the singer had also posted a photograph of himself with the letter in his hand. “I won’t be in Assam for one week. It will be good if Sarbada takes some action before my return. Otherwise this time, I will agitate on my own. What I will do, I don’t know,” he wrote.

Saying the bill hurt the sentiments of the Assamese people, Bollywood playback singer Papon also opposed it.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill

On January 8, the Lok Sabha passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019, seeking to provide non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan with Indian citizenship. According to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, this will help the religious minorities of persecuted Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis to get Indian citizenship. Following six years of residency in India, they can get permanent citizenship in the country.

However, after the bill was passed, widespread protests have been held across Assam and various parts of north-east India. An 11-hour Assam bandh was called on January 8 by the All Assam Students Union (AASU), along with 30 more indigenous organizations. Against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, nude protests were staged by peasants and youths of Assam in Delhi and Assam’s Tinsukia.

Being the epicentre of the present opposition to the bill, Assam is still watching the ongoing protest.

Also read: Assam: KMSS Members Strip Naked At Protest Against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill