Zubeen Garg mural row in Guwahati ends with decision to repaint it
A mural of singer Zubeen Garg in Guwahati was painted over by authorities as part of a beautification drive ahead of the proposed visit of
A mural of singer Zubeen Garg in Guwahati was painted over by authorities as part of a beautification drive ahead of the proposed visit of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, triggering criticism from his family and fans. After the backlash, it was decided that the portrait would be painted again at the same spot. The mural, titled 'Comrade do not die', had been painted by graffiti artist Marshall Baruah below the Ganeshguri flyover. Garg, who died by drowning in the sea in Singapore in September last year, remains widely remembered, and the removal of his image led to strong reactions online and at the site.
Read Full Story Garg's wife, Garima Saikia Garg, questioned the removal in a Facebook post and asked whether the singer's image had made the city look 'unclean or was it not necessary'. She said she was not angry or resentful about the removal, as emotional connections and bonding matter more, but wondered whether wiping his image made the city look more beautiful. 'Zubeen is 'immortal' and will continue to live on in the minds, hearts and conscience of the people, irrespective of whether the mural is there or not,' she added.
Later in the evening, Baruah and many of Garg's fans gathered at the venue, with the artist saying he would paint the image again. He claimed the police stopped him from doing so and told him he could repaint it after July 3. The Japanese Prime Minister is likely to visit Guwahati in early July. A tense situation developed at the site as fans raised slogans of 'Jai Zubeen-da' and urged Baruah to repaint the mural. After a discussion, it was decided that he would once again paint Garg's image at the same place.
The artist then began painting in the evening as fans kept a strict vigil at the venue. GMC Mayor Mrigen Sarania said no instruction had been given to cover Garg's image and maintained that the direction was only to clean the city. The police did not comment on the controversy. The episode began with the mural being painted over and ended with a decision to restore it after criticism from the singer's family and supporters. Ends
The BriefWire